JAS Midlands Branch needs more help to save “Library Passage”

Help! My friend at the Midlands Branch of the Jane Austen Society of the UK needs some information to help save the “Library Passage” in Worthing. You may recall this is a shortcut Jane and family used to pass from Stanford Cottage to Stanford Library when they stayed in Worthing after the death of Jane’s father.

Christopher Sandrawich writes:

We are looking for straws that might support our case to keep this right-of-way open, with its connection to Jane Austen, and Tourism which brings money may help.

Do you know, or can you point me towards somebody who does know, the estimates for Tourism that can be connected to Jane Austen both in England and for the various sites, Chawton, Bath and Winchester for example.

I have emailed the various Tourist Boards but answers seem slow in coming and the hearing is less than two weeks away. I have also emailed and written to Dr Nicola Watson who has presented a paper on this very subject at JAS gatherings.

I would be grateful for any information that may help, and you do seem to know so much useful information. Thank you – Chris

I believe they are trying to show that anything connected to Jane draws tourists, so if anyone, especially at JASNA knows how many people from the US visit England specifically because of Jane and how many dollars they spend, that would help Mr. Sandrawich. I’m thinking especially of all the companies that operate Pride and Prejudice tour groups, study abroad programs and even JASNA’s own tour groups.

Anything you can send to me at petkusj (at) myparticularfriend (dot) com I will forward to Mr. Sandrawich. UPDATE: You can email Mr. Sandrawich directly at chrisdsandrawich (at) hotmail (dot) com.