We bring together an experienced team of researchers, heritage specialists, education specialists, business planning consultants and operators of visitor attractions.

Kevin Brown BSc PG Dip, Managing Director
Kevin leads the consultancy in strategic planning and options appraisals. Kevin has a sound knowledge of research based appraisal work in tourism, leisure and community engagement and development projects. He has considerable experience in feasibility studies, business planning and exit strategies, agency and acquisitions. He also provides support for site appraisals, planning and activity plans and audience development Pans.

Prior to joining Planning Solutions Consulting, Kevin worked for Fleury Manico, Chartered Surveyors, a specialist leisure company where he was Head of Research. Kevin led all the research based activities which formed an important aspect of valuation advice.

He secured the firm’s inclusion on the Register of Expert Advisers for the Lottery Sports Fund and managed the in house research archives and data systems. Previously Kevin worked for four years at South East England Tourist Board managing the grant scheme (Section 4) for tourism development projects in the Region.

Richard Linington BA MA, Head of Research and Visitor Engagement
Richard Linington is the director of research and has some 12 years of commercial experience in the tourism and research sectors. Richard has experience of working on complex projects where he has carried out research to identify and assess the most appropriate development solutions. He carries out research to inform feasibility studies, prepare audience development plans, option appraisals and tourism strategies for a range of clients from the Forestry Commission through to Tourism South East, Wildlife Trusts and Regional Development Agencies.

Richard also manages the research marketing strategy for Conkers, a £16 million an eco-visitor attraction in the National Forest.

Richard has a strong background in both primary and secondary research. Prior to joining Planning Solutions, he worked as a User Researcher and Usability Analyst at Razorfish, one of the UK’s leading digital consultancies and BMP DDB Needham, the multi-national advertising agency. He has also worked in a tourist information centre.

Richard has a master’s degree in the sociology and anthropology of travel and tourism and writes a popular blog on Research Methods.

Clive Johnson BA Commercial Director
Clive has a wide commercial  and marketing remit across the three visitor attractions operated by the company.
 
Prior to joining Planning Solutions, Clive worked as a marketing consultant on projects including developing the marketing strategy and implementation to support the launch of a 4 star Holiday Village and Country Club on the Isle of Wight. 

He has also worked as the Director of Marketing and Visitor Services at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard which is home to HMS Victory, The Mary Rose, Action Stations, HMS Warrior 1860 and the Royal Naval Museum.  His responsibility included defining and delivering the Communications, Marketing and Events strategies necessary to achieve the budgetary and vision objectives of the six separate organisations on site (four being charitable trusts) and direct management of the PR, Marketing Services, Events and Visitor centre functional reports.  He also lead a complete re-branding project that allowed the individual attractions to unite under one strong destination brand and he was responsible for financial performance analysis, budgetary planning and control. 

From May 2007- May 2008 he held a strategic planning consultancy role which included the long term marketing plan that underpinned the Mary Rose’s successful £20m Heritage Lottery Fund bid, the 2008 marketing plan and TV media strategy.

Nick Stead, Associate, Interpretive and Educational Planning and Writing BA, MA (Cantab)
Nick brings 17 years of interpretive planning, development and writing experience to the Planning Solutions team.

Nick’s experience ranges across all heritage and attractions sectors and across three continents. His work has covered: historic sites such as Dover Castle, Chatsworth House and Historic Jamestowne in Virginia; major museums such as the Oklahoma History Centre; and science and activity centres such as the Children’s Museum in Amman, Jordan.

Nick is a former Principal Interpretation Consultant for Haley Sharpe Design Ltd, leading interpretive planning and content project management for major attractions, museums and historic sites. He was also previously Head of Interpretation and Education for Historic Royal Palaces, developing, implementing and managing a wide range of interpretive exhibits, activities, audio guides, children’s events and education programmes across five major sites, including the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace and Kensington Palace.

Nick is passionate about finding ways to unlock the ideas and stories within natural and cultural resources, transforming the passive provision of information into an active process of learning.