WARNING - By their nature, text files cannot include scanned images and tables. 
The process of converting documents to text only, can cause formatting changes and 
misinterpretation of the contents can sometimes result. Wherever possible you 
should refer to the pdf version of this document.


CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY 
Finance Committee Paper 2 20/02/09 

CAIRNGORMS NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY 
FINANCE COMMITTEE 


FOR DECISION 


Title: SALE OF PANORAMIC POSTERS 

Prepared by: Pete Crane, Senior Visitor Services Officer 

Purpose 

To seek the Committee’s approval to CNPA printing and selling posters of the 
panoramic paintings for a time-limited trial period, prior to developing a 
future licensing agreement with suitable partner. 

Recommendations 

The Committee is asked to: 

a) agree that CNPA undertake trial sales of posters of the panoramic 
paintings in order to ‘test the market’ prior to tendering the opportunity 
to sell the posters commercially. 

b) agree that this trial should until October 31st 2010 at the latest. 

c) agree that any surplus generated during the trail should be donated to 
charity, specifically the Cairngorms Outdoor Access Trust, for 
environmental improvement works in the National Park. 

Executive Summary 

1. As part of the interpretation for Point of Entry Marker Project CNPA 
commissioned five panoramic paintings of the National Park. In 
addition to use at points of entry to the Park the paintings are now 
being used as displays in communities, in visitor centres, and on web 
sites as an engaging way of raising understanding and awareness of 
the National Park. 

2. CNPA own the copyright to the five images. 

3. Similar panoramic paintings of areas of Scotland, other UK National 
Parks and American National Parks are sold commercially as posters 
and we feel that there is an opportunity to market posters of the CNP 
panoramas using the National Park brand image, in a similar way with 
the aim of: 

a) Raising understanding and awareness of the National Park 


PAGE 2

b) Generating income for environmental improvement in the 
National Park 

4. Until now we considered that the best way to sell the panoramas was 
to tender the opportunity commercially through the Cairngorms 
Outdoor Access Trust. However, having considered this in more detail 
there are a number of key factors indicating that this is not a good time 
to let such a tender: 

a) CNPA have no real indication of the commercial value of the 
posters and no sound basis to judge the best value of any 
tender. 

b) The CNP boundary will change within the next two years. This will 
need to be changed on the posters and so the terms of any 
tender will either be complex or need to be amended. 

c) ACDMO are working with partners scoping the potential for a 
‘visitor payback’ scheme and the outputs of this work may 
influence the way in which we sell posters in future. 

d) COAT is at an early stage of development where their main focus 
is delivering path improvements. The sale of posters may be a 
distraction to their core function at this time. 

e) COAT is not constituted to sell goods and have been advised to 
set up a trading arm if they wish to proceed with the sale of 
posters. Again, another unwanted distraction at this stage. 

5. Nevertheless, if we decide to postpone the sale of posters we will be 
missing an opportunity to test the market and gain information about 
the commercial value of the product. 

6. Therefore, we now consider that the best way to progress this work is for 
CNPA to undertake some basic market research with local outlets such 
as visitor shops (CairnGorm Mountain, Glenmore Visitor Centre, etc) 
and Tourist Information Centres to determine whether a poster would 
be saleable and in what quantities. If this is encouraging then we 
should precede to market, through local outlets, posters for a period 
not going beyond 31st October 2010. 

7. This work will provide us with clear information about the commercial 
value of the posters prior to letting any contract. At the end of the trail 
we should also be clearer about whether sales of posters can be linked 
to any wider ‘visitor payback’ scheme or whether COAT are in a better 
position to generate income from sales. 

8. The decision for CNPA to directly market commercial goods, albeit on 
a small scale, has the potential to raise legitimate concerns from the 
private sector of public money being used to subsidise commercial 
activity. However, this is a specific time- limited trial with the explicit 
aim of gaining better information prior to a commercial tender. The 
printing and distribution of any posters will be let commercially, the 


PAGE 3

goods will be offered for sale through commercial outlets and any 
surplus will go environmental works in the National Park. The only 
element that the CNPA is substituting is that element of profit (or loss) 
that would be generated by a ‘publisher’. Given the time limit on the 
trial and the other constraints discussed we consider this is an 
appropriate use of public funds. 

9. We also consult with the Brand Management Group and feedback 
any advice given to the Finance Committee. 


Pete Crane 
February 2009 

petercrane@cairngorms.co.uk