Ties forged in meeting of two Marlboroughs

SCOTT HAMMOND/Marlborough Express

JOINING FORCES: Marlborough Wiltshire Mayor k Fogg, left, and Marlborough Mayor Alistair Sowman in Seymour Square during Mr Fogg's first visit to Marlborough and New Zealand.

Relevant offers

New overseas opportunities for Blenheim businesses are on the cards when two towns 18,000 kilometres apart, but with the same name, join forces in a bid to benefit both.

England's Marlborough Wiltshire Mayor Nick Fogg is here for the next week to meet mayor Alistair Sowman and explore the region.

Marlborough, a town of 8000 people in the county of Wiltshire, is about 100km west of London.

The visit was not only an opportunity to compare regions, but also to forge business connections.

Marlborough business owners Jeff and Sandra Sewell conceived the idea of forging closer links between the two Marlboroughs in 2006, with an eye on economic, cultural and educational benefits.

They visited the English town last year on a business trip and a connection between the two regions was established.

Mr Sowman said there were "real opportunities" for developing a connection with England's Marlborough.

The British Marlborough plans to duplicate the Marlborough Wine Festival held here every January and potentially introduce Marlborough wine at its internationally renowned jazz festival.

Marlborough wine labels such as Wither Hills, Villa Maria and Cloudy Bay are already available from supermarkets in the overseas Marlborough, but there are now plans to showcase the wine at British wine fairs too.

Special holiday packages to Marlborough were expected to be planned for overseas visitors by Destination Marlborough over the next few months.

Having jobs advertised and people being recruited to spend time working here were also options, Mr Sowman said.

During his week-long visit, Mr Fogg will attend the Marlborough 150th anniversary celebrations on Monday and visit other locations around the region.

"It's wonderful. There are delightful people [here]. They're so warm and friendly."

He said the 150th celebrations were a sign of "wonderful survival", although Marlborough in Britain is 700 years older.

Surrounded by sheep-grazing land, it also has one of the largest horse-racing facilities in Europe, which the New Zealand Equestrian team often visits.