Bygones

A step back in time… made fresh again

How we helped Bygones refresh their leaflet, launch two new websites and tell more stories.

Bygones in St Marychurch is a beautifully unique, three-storey attraction packed full of Victorian charm, wartime memorabilia, and nostalgic delights from yesteryear. A beloved gem of Torbay, it offers a magical walk-through experience of British history with life-size street scenes, fascinating collections, and interactive displays. But while their content is all about the past, their marketing needed a refresh to move forward.

The challenge

Bygones is a brilliant attraction that wows every generation, but their leaflet and online presence weren’t showing the full picture. Many people still thought it was mainly for older visitors, when in reality, children and families love it too – from the model railway and sweet shop to the fun hands-on exhibits. Owner Richard Cuming had seen the work we did for ERBID and got in touch, knowing it was time for something new that would appeal to everyone.

The brief

Richard wanted a fresh, visually engaging leaflet that captured the true essence of the attraction, as well as a brand-new website for Bygones and another one for his personal passion project – a curated collection of wartime memorabilia for collectors to browse and buy online. He also needed in-attraction signage to help tell more of the stories behind the displays.

What we did

Bygones is full of stories, so we knew our designs had to do them justice. We began with a visit to explore the whole attraction, camera in hand, snapping away as we wandered through vintage streets, station platforms, and traditional shopfronts. This helped us see it all from a visitor’s perspective.

From there, we:

Redesigned the leaflet

We created a hand-drawn map to guide visitors through the three floors, added photos that really show the scale and variety of exhibits, and highlighted the fun for all ages. We printed it on uncoated paper to give it that authentic, nostalgic touch.

Launched two new websites

One for the main tourist attraction, showing opening times, ticket info, gallery and more. The second is a dedicated site for collectors to browse Richard’s extensive World War memorabilia collection. Both sites were built to be easy to navigate and give that same sense of discovery visitors enjoy in real life.

Created new signage

Helping enhance the storytelling experience within the attraction, so every corner has something to uncover.

A refreshed brand and glowing feedback

With their new leaflet distributed across the South West and both websites live and thriving, Bygones is now showcasing the full magic of what’s inside. The attraction feels more inviting and inclusive, and online visibility is better than ever.

The Success

“We are really happy with everything and we are extremely pleased with our decision to move to Frankman for our whole new website and online shop design. Connor has been especially helpful in the development process and ongoing alterations/improvements to our online shop. The whole team at Frankman understand our needs, are friendly and easy to work with. Highly rated business.” – Richard Cuming, Bygones

Want your marketing materials and online presence to truly reflect the magic of what you offer?

Let’s chat and bring your story to life.

See more of our work

Explore more success stories and see how we’ve helped businesses like yours thrive.