Calanais Visitor Centre
The Calanais Visitor Centre is now open for preview season ahead of their official opening, welcoming visitors back to one of Scotland's most remarkable and enduring landscapes.
We're incredibly proud that several members of the Associate team were able to contribute to the project.
Inverness Castle Experience
We’re thrilled to see the Inverness Castle Experienceopen, marking a major new chapter for one of the Highlands’ most iconic landmarks.
As part of the £47m transformation, SS+A Associates Mhairi Holland and Catrina Hicks played a key role in shaping the retail experience, ensuring the shop isn’t just a place to purchase, but a continuation of the story visitors encounter throughout the attraction.
Seven, Saudi Arabia
"The team were a delight to work with and clearly had a deep breath of experience and insight into the attractions retail world from past lives and projects, their expertise in translating a new concept into a structurally operated and executed reality was of great help to us as a brand new organisation on the scene in KSA.
I would not hesitate to recommend the team to other visitor attractions large and small UK based or globally."
Russell Stokes | Executive Director, Saudi Entertainment Ventures | SEVEN
Glastonbury Abbey
"The new Shop is a significant improvement, and Stephen Spencer + Associates have been instrumental in creating a retail space that truly reflects the spirit of Glastonbury Abbey. Their expertise in product selection, merchandising, and financial planning has been invaluable. We are very pleased with the outcome."
Janet Bell MBE, Director of Glastonbury Abbey
Chelmsford Museum
“I engaged Stephen to help me motivate and direct teams of staff across three different museums. Each has their own challenges to overcome to make the shops make increased contributions to the Museum. Stephen shared with us his philosophy and we could then draw on his broad depth of knowledge to help us determine our way forward. Moreover, as he has such a range of experience he was willing and able to talk with passion and enthusiasm about each of his experiences. This rubbed off onto the people being trained and by the end of the 2 day workshops they were feeling empowered and ready to make a positive contribution to their Museum.
I am currently feeding the fire of this new found enthusiasm and encouraging them to look differently at our customers and products, and really take ownership of this key service. It's early days but I'm confident through the learning we gained from Stephen's workshops our retail businesses will go from strength to strength.”
Shane Bartley, Basildon Borough Council (Chelmsford Museum) / ICT and Change Manager
Market Hall Museum
“After a major refurbishment, Market Hall Museum offered a great experience and a popular cafe, while our retail, although small and perfectly-formed, lacked impact. Stephen worked creatively and collaboratively with our team to help us reimagine what the total experience could be, enabling us to become a cultural destination and increase engagement, repeat visitation, and revenue.
He helped us see the concept through to implementation, advising on everything from range development, product marketing and sales, to sourcing a suitable shop designer and fitter. It's been a pleasure working with Stephen and we would happily recommend his services.”
Emma Andrews, Museum Manager
Hopetown, Darlington
“Stephen, John and Catrina are a pleasure to work with. They bring to the table a great wealth of knowledge and experience from high-profile visitor attractions, but don’t apply a cookie-cutter approach. Recommendations were delivered alongside a clear and structured path to implementation. We now have a clear, workable and measurable strategy to move forward with.”
Rebecca Howarth, Sales and Marketing Manager
Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
“Stephen Spencer + Associates, thank you for helping Blenheim Palace create an exceptional guest service charter. Your training transformed our hosts, ensuring our guests receive an unparalleled experience. We are grateful for your expertise and look forward to our continued partnership.”
Heather Carter, Managing Director - Visitor Attraction, Blenheim Palace