Dorchester Dorset.com Blog

This week we thought we’d update you on the progress of our Virtual Dorchester tool, which has become one of the most popular features on the Dorchester BID website and is still growing!

Virtual Dorchester

We first introduced the tool back at the beginning of 2010 with the help of photography and marketing company Estate Vue, as a way to promote Dorchester and attract more visitors to the town. It instantly caught on, with coverage in major national newspapers such as the Metro and the Telegraph.

Initially the virtual tool encompassed Dorchester’s main attractions and shopping streets, and with enthusiastic support from local businesses we were able to add interiors of shops, cafes, restaurants and museums from across the town.

Inside Dorchester's Panasonic Store

With so much to see, we’ve now organised the tool into a really user-friendly interface with a new layout to make it easier to find what you are looking for. There is a search function if you want to see a particular business or attraction, and there is also an interactive map, allowing you to choose what you want to see by zooming in on a particular area or street.

On the home screen businesses and attractions are now arranged by category, making it simpler to browse for what you’re interested in. If you’re from outside the town and are planning a trip to Dorchester, you can click on the ‘places to visit’ category and are given the opportunity to see inside some of our biggest attractions, such as the Dorset County Museum and the Dinosaur Museum.

Borough Gardens on Virtual Dorchester

Similarly, if you decide you want to eat out in Dorchester somewhere with great decor and atmosphere, click the ‘Food and Drink’ section, and have a peek inside popular Dorchester cafes and restaurants like the Rajpoot and No.6 Restaurant.

We’re so lucky here in Dorchester to be surrounded by unique places of interest, incredible history and a fantastic variety of thriving small businesses. We feel the virtual tool is a great way of sharing that richness with the world, and who knows, it may even serve as a vital resource for future generations who want to understand what Dorchester was like in 2011!

If you have any suggestions or comments about the virtual Dorchester tool, we’d love to hear from you. Get in touch with us via our twitter @DorchesterBID, or leave your comments below.

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