Summer Wine - The News

First of all many, many thanks to everyone who took part in our first ever major survey earlier this year, 2004. The enthusiasm and commitment shown by fans was amazing.

This is how it worked. Over a two-week period, everyone who emailed Summer Wine Online with a general enquiry received an invitation to take part in our survey. Most did.

However, we also felt a bit guilty about missing some of our regular, long-standing readers who perhaps had not emailed us during the target period, and therefore missed the opportunity of taking part.

So we ran an appeal on the site for several days until we had 100 fans signed up. It is true to say that many more wanted to help - we were literally taken aback with the interest - but wanted to restrict it to a manageable number.

It's a good job we did. Collating all the 100 results was a massive task and took far longer than expected. Many thanks to Huddersfield economic and marketing students for their professional assistance, plus several locally based LOTSW fans - we could not have done it without you!

In the returned forms, several themes kept emerging so we decided to lump these together and count the scores to get a percentage value, ie positives and negatives about the website.

Please note that a number of the percentages do not add up to 100, because our readers selected one or more fields.

We are delighted to say there weren't many general negatives, apart from navigation issues, links etc, which we are aware of.

Some said they liked the fact they kept "discovering" hidden parts of the site along with old archives. But most expressed a frustration at not being able to find sections they knew were on the site because they had seen them before.

We will be looking at improving navigation in the run up to winter 2004/2005.

Several said they would like to see more cast interviews, particularly up to date ones. And can we please update the episode guides!!!!

For the first time we decided to publish details of our site traffic along with the survey results.

There has been a dramatic jump in visitor hits during the past year, due to the higher quality and increased volume of location filming shots, plus the classic black and white photos from the Radio Times/Compo collection, which is going down really well.

In the first half of 2004, we were reaching nearly 40,000 page impressions PER month. Wow! That is simply terrific - many thanks to everyone.

It is also delightful to know that so many spend so much time on our website - an average of nearly 20 minutes in the second quarter of 2004, which means a great many spend a lot more time looking through the pages on our site.

Please note these are NOT general hits to the page which also record individual files and graphics and give a much higher but misleading result - these are actual page impressions, individual visitors to our website.

2000 - 21,250 per month
2001 - 23,000 per month
2002 - 26,300 per month
2003 - 34,000 per month
2004 Jan to Feb - 38,800 per month

Average length of visit to website (2003)

17 minutes

Most popular pages (after home page) 2004 March to July

1 Classic photos
2 Letters Page
3 Recent location photographs
4 Pat's Piece section
5 Holmfirthweb.com

Daily - 36 per cent
2 or 3 times per week - 40 per cent
2 or 3 times per month - 24 per cent

Best points about the site?

Depth of information - 88 per cent
Based in Holmfirth - 86 per cent
New photos (of filming etc) - 82 per cent
Regular Updated - 76 per cent
Ease of reading (large fonts and clear layouts etc) - 76 per cent
Free access (no subscription) 74 per cent
Classic photos (from yesteryear etc) 71 per cent
Quality of content and written work - 70 per cent
Strong news content - 61 per cent
Letters from readers - 52 per cent

Navigation issues, links etc - 41 per cent
Lack of search engine - 36 per cent
Limited interviews - 40 per cent
Design issues - 22 per cent

"Like more stories/interviews of current cast members please"

"The banner at the top of each page should reflect wider cast members"

"The episode guide needs updating"

"Compared to many other websites, I find yours easier to read. This is a good thing because I am 82 and it takes me all day to read the newspaper!"

"More information about cast members who have passed away"

"I am sure we all appreciate the fact the website is free to use, but I would suggest that many visitors might follow my lead by donating to the Compo Statue Fund, as a thank you for the content and services provided by the website."

"Now we are taking an interest in the general area of Holmfirth and what is going on there as we feel that we really "know" people in the town. Your water shortage and low levels in the reservoir, just as we experienced in spring/summer 2003...Christmas celebrations, etc. are examples."

"We know more about this show than anything we watch on TV here in Philadelphia. The only other time I could say that was when I lived in Dallas, Texas while the show "Dallas" was at its prime. We frequently drove out to the ranch they used as Southfork and I was able to watch filming occasionally."

"A number of users at our club (senior citizens group) appreciate the clear design and layouts - it also prints our very well."

"I don't know why you're having a survey - your site is by far the best I know dedicated to a TV programme. Some of the other sites may have flashy colours - but yours has real stories and content. I will be donating to the statue fund."

"I think the view of England is very positive…but the people and places are so real, quaint, charming that we would love to visit Holmfirth."

"It is down to your website along with the stories and photos of Holmfirth that we visit the town so regularly."

"Please don't start charging fans to visit your site. I use access at a public library - and would not be able to pay."

Are you a member of the Summer Wine Appreciation Society?

Yes - 44 per cent

Intending to Join - 65 per cent

If you live abroad, or outside the area, does the website provide a positive view of the following:

Holmfirth as a tourist destination - 77 per cent
England as a tourist destination - 69 per cent

Are you a regular visitor to Holmfirth because of the programme?

Yes - 61 per cent

Regional to Holmfirth - 29 per cent
UK (inc regional) - 49 per cent
USA - 35 per cent
Canada - 9 per cent
Australia/New Zealand/South Africa - 8 per cent
Others - 3 per cent

How many years have you been watching?

Up to five years - 30 per cent
Five to 10 years - 22 per cent
Over 10 years - 48 per cent

Why do you enjoy LOTSW so much?

Gentle humour suited for family audiences - 70 per cent
The characters played by the cast - 72 per cent
High quality comedy - 78 per cent
Shots of Holmfirth and countryside - 70 per cent

Many thanks again for all those who took part in our survey. And please be assured there are no plans to dramatically change your site or start charging a subscription service. The site receives valuable financial support from businesses - we really appreciate their help - and we hope to extend this in the future to enable greater development.

A selection of comments from fans when we invited people to take part in our survey during May, 2004. We were bowled over by your enthusiasm to help - many thanks everyone. Sorry to those who did not get the chance this time.

Patrick, I just saw the notice about a survey regarding the website and I would like to participate on behalf of myself and my mother. Don't have a computer at home but regularly go to our local library and print off articles from the website for mother (age 86) who finds LOTSW to be her favorite TV show. We have taped all of the shows that WHYY has shown here in Philadelphia over the last 5 years. We still haven't seen the shows from the 2002/2003 series though. FYI we have put all of the pages I print off into a ringbinder so mother has a "book" on the show with latest articles on shows we haven't even seen yet. Keep up the good work. The pictures are great!

Rosemarie Prisby

Hi Patrick
I wasn't asked to join in, but here are my thoughts anyway. yours is an excellent site, very busy, it was the first that I visited when I went on line. I have made many friends in England, America, and Australia through it. One, my dear friend Jean, even came over to visit me. One thing, it would be nice if there was more opportunity to interact with other writers. And I would like to hear more snippets from the Stars if possible. Also I know that locations are kept secret but just a little more information about the real pubs would be nice.

Sue Kimber.

This website is the best for information on LOTSW. Do not make any changes.I like the idea that you will provide information on the deceased actors on LOTSW.

Larry Ciolek

Hi Patrick
As a daily visitor to your site I would be extremely interested in taking part in the survey.
Regards

Mike

When dealing with the uncertainties of North and South Carolina pubic tv for my LOTSW fix, it is great to have a strong web site to stay up to date on "what's happening". I have tracked the series from inception on your site and "check in" each day. The photos and the recordings have been excellent and really proves what a well managed web site should be. Keep up the good works and remember those of us in the states who have limited access to a great series.

L.Marcum, North Carolina Mountains

Please don't change anything, our family love your website just the way it is. Please don't start charging. We have nothing against paying but don't trust online transactions. We have been ripped off before.

S Davies, Lancashire.

As a fan of Brit-coms, I regularly view up to a dozen "fan" sites every week. Without a doubt, the Summer Wine site is easily the best. I can't think of any other site which has interviews to download, fantastic pictures and some great and well constructed stories. Many thanks.

Andrea, New York

Please can I take part in your survey. I want to make sure nothing changes on your website and please don't start charging. I have already donated to the statue fund as a thank you for the work you do on the website.

L. H.

Your website is great, I only discovered it about a year ago and hop in several times a week, particularly during a quiet time in the office. It is one of the things that gets me through my day. One look at Clegg and the rolling fields of Holmfirth, and I can cope with the thought of the next meeting!

Sophie Jaworski-Lewin
San Francisco, USA

The Summer Wine website keeps me going until the next series of the show - please don't make any big changes. It works for me

Roger
Bristol, England.

Yes please, send me a survey form. I feel like your site is an extension of our family! How would we get thru the day without your photos of the cast. It has to be free to use, otherwise I won't be able to access from work etc.

Rachel L