§ 15. Mr. EffordTo ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the public response to opinion surveys of people leaving the millennium dome. [105951]
§ Janet AndersonIn marked contrast to the opinions of some media commentators, polls of people visiting the Dome show that the majority of them have extremely encouraging positive reactions and views. Polls of Dome visitors byThe Sunday Times, The Mirror, ITN and The Independent in the first week of opening all showed high approval ratings. Results ranged from 91 per cent. in the ITN poll on 7 January saying the Dome was worth the trip, to 85 per cent. in The Sunday Times poll of 9 January saying they enjoyed the Dome and 74 per cent. in the same poll saying they would recommend it to friends. On 13 January the London Evening Standard poll, conducted by ICM, reported that 8 out of 10 visitors said that they were satisfied or very satisfied with the Dome. Other findings reported were that seven out of 10 visitors would recommend their friends to come; half are keen to return for a second visit; that children are especially enthusiastic; and most said their day was better than expected.
Recognising the inevitable bedding-in and teething problems being experienced by this unique visitor attraction over its first few weeks of operation, these high level outcomes from polls undertaken by third parties give every indication that the Millennium Experience at the Dome will, over its 12 months of operation, be a great success. The New Millennium Experience Company itself is conducting a visitor opinion poll through MORI covering the first month of operation and will have the results by mid February.