Buxton Festival Fringe marches forward – website improvements for 2011

Press Release 22nd June 2011 For immediate release

Last autumn saw the well-received relaunch of the Buxton Festival Fringe website but now the Fringe has taken further steps to refine the site and also to trial a new service for smartphone users.

New visitors to the website http://www.buxtonfringe.org.uk will find it much easier to navigate than last year with a more legible toolbar and more obvious log-in point plus the introduction of a site map and extra links down the side.

From the first day of the Fringe (July 6), the audience survey, until now always distributed as a paper form, will appear on the website as well. Crucially, the Fringe programme is easier to find and the listings have been made less indigestible with colour coding for the various arts categories.

Best of all, there is a brand new Enhanced Diary feature offering users the chance to view performances day by day and sort shows by category or time of day. A handy 'Fringe buddy' logo helps users navigate the pages.

With more venues coming on stream every year, the Fringe decided it was time to update the venues map. The new map, generously supported by The Cavendish Shopping Arcade, is bigger and clearer with features such as parking and toilets. Instead of hunting for a venue number, users can hover over a venue in the side bar for it to be shown instantly on the map! Meanwhile the Enhanced Diary offers people the chance to see the venues identified on detailed Google maps.

With more and more people using advanced mobile phone technology, the Fringe is also pioneering a version of the website specifically tailored for mobile access. People keying in the website address on their smartphone will automatically be directed to the special site featuring a simplified home page and Enhanced Diary function - perfect for Fringe audiences on the move. Handy links to the main site mean that mobile phone users can have the best of both worlds.

Says Fringe chair Stephanie Billen: 'There are many people to thank here, from the Cavendish Arcade to webmaster Dan Osborne, designer Armelle Hatch, IT progammer Martin Wood and new technology enthusiast John Wilson, as well as everyone who has made useful suggestions. The aim is to help people find out about the Fringe in whatever way suits them - and don't worry, you can still pick up a free printed Fringe programme from Tourist Information, libraries and many other outlets.'

This year's Buxton Festival Fringe runs from Wednesday 6 to Sunday July 24. The Fringe is hugely grateful to its many supporters including its main sponsor The University of Derby Buxton as well as The Osborne Group, High Peak Borough Council, The Old Hall Hotel and The Cavendish Shopping Arcade.

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PRESS: For further information about the Fringe Send message to Press or tel: 01298 79351.