2013-08-05— /travelprnews.com/ — Today Liverpool John Lennon Airport proudly announces a new, exciting, innovative magazine in conjunction with Seven Streets; Voyage. Which will be launching this autumn.
To discuss what this magazine has to offer the people of the city and those travelling to and from Liverpool; our marketing co-ordinator, Chris Scott, sat down with David Lloyd, Seven Streets and Voyage editor.
Chris Scott: So David thanks for joining us today.
David Lloyd: You’re welcome.
CS: Well first of all David, for those who don’t know about Seven Streets, can you please talk a little bit about your organisation?
DL: Seven Streets started three years ago and we wanted to occupy the space we thought wasn’t really being occupied by the local press. So we set up first of all a web site which was kind of like celebrating the city but also it was quite opinionated and we liked to have ideas and discuss things. We have a feature on why the Matthew Street Festival wasn’t very good and what we can do to make it better. So we’re passionate about the city and we like exploring the city and using local experts and local people who are really passionate about the arts, music, nightlife and bringing the city to the attention of people – perhaps sides of the city people didn’t realise was there.
CS: It’s a magazine for local people by local people.
DL: It is indeed. But what we’ve found is, because we are burrowing a little bit under the surface, we’re getting a lot of visitors reading the site now because it gives a fresh take on the city that you wouldn’t get maybe from a visit Liverpool site or a traditional tourist site. So it’s a good way to get into the city.
CS: Talk to us a little bit about Voyage then. How will this magazine be different from airport magazines we’re perhaps used to?
DL: Well what we’ve found is, because Seven Streets has been so successful and we’re getting a lot of traffic from Europe and from America, we really like the idea of engaging with city-based bloggers and web site owners and local writers and getting them on board rather than – I’m a travel writer and I’ve gone out to says Antwerp or Copenhagen and spent a week there and written about the sites but not really gotten to the soul of the city. And what I found was quite nice is regional airport hubs like John Lennon are much more closely attached to the city so we thought the magazine should reflect that and have an editorial body, if you like, who are totally engaged in the destinations that John Lennon Airport fly to. So in Gdansk, in Copenhagen, in all these really cool European cities we’re engaged with the best city websites and let them tell our readers where really are the best places to go. Because if you’re going on a weekend break you don’t want half an hour – half a day – queuing up for some attraction that actually isn’t that cool. You really want to get to the best shops, the best bars, best nightlife, best attractions, so that’s the difference in what we’re going to be doing.
CS: Is the magazine just for people who use the airport or is it something that people from the city can also pick up?
DL: It’s going to be a magazine that very much belongs to the city. That really reflects the city. Because just as John Lennon Airport takes the name of one of its famous sons, we want the magazine to really be a magazine that people in Liverpool will pick up and say ‘Yes, this represents the city I know.’ It really feels authentic, It doesn’t feel like, I use the phrase travel porn, but what I mean is that there are a lot of travel magazines that are very glossy and look really slick but don’t tell you anything and people often think that free magazines aren’t really editorially sound, I’m going to make sure this is a really valuable magazine.
CS: What you’re saying is perfect for those travelling out the city, to the city and actually the city itself?
DL: I definitely want it to reflect Liverpool, it’s got to feel like a magazine born and bred in Liverpool but also celebrates the opportunity to explore the different destinations that we go to.
CS: Why are you so excited about Voyage being the airport’s magazine?
DL: I am really excited about it because there’s some real potential here. I love magazines, I come from a print background and it really frustrates me when you see magazines that are just full of advertorials or editorial that doesn’t really say anything. I’m going to make sure that this magazine is something that you pick up and from page to page actually really sells the excitement of travelling because it’s an airport it should be about excitement about travelling, new adventure and that’s what we’re going to do with Voyage.
CS: I’ve heard you say before that there’s no excuse for bad magazines, are we going to make sure that Voyage is one people want to pick up?
DL: It’s not going to join that very depressing and slightly increasing pile of really dodgy magazines in Liverpool. It’s a lifestyle magazine but it’s going to be something that you take away with you and return to time and time again.
CS: What are going to cover? We’re going to cover travel, are we going to cover music, fashion…
DL: We’re going to cover music, we’re going to cover the essential things that make the best cities in Europe tick. What is it about Antwerp, what is it about Gdansk, what is it about all these places that make them different? All our cities in Europe offer something exciting and two hours away you can be in an amazing city having fantastic music, fantastic culture and really great food but if you don’t know where to go you’re not going to experience it.
CS: It’s about finding the hidden gems of Europe.
DL: Totally yeah.
Voyage will be available from this autumn. Make sure to pick up your copy and stay tuned for further updates regarding our new magazine.