Hidden pearls open for Jubilee

The Prince of Wales is launching a festival tonight which it is hoped will help to boost Britain's long-suffering tourism industry.

More than 80 institutions are taking part in the London String of Pearls Golden Jubilee festival with attractions including a tiny island garden at Eton College, Somerset House, St Paul's Cathedral and Battersea Park.

Based upon the concept of each institution, or garden, being a "pearl" along the "string" of the Thames, the festival offers a chance to look behind often-closed doors at locations from Windsor in the west to Woolwich in the east.

The festival, held in honour of the Queen's Golden Jubilee, will run from March to December next year and follows last year's successful Millennium String of Pearls event.

Director Dylan Hammond said: "Tourism took a real knock as a result of foot-and-mouth and the events of 11 September so we see the String of Pearls as spearheading the movement to get everybody out again.

"We want to promote tourism and encourage all sorts of people to come and appreciate our country's heritage: foreign tourists, locals, and particularly those who might not visit these places usually, such as young people, those on low incomes and ethnic minorities." The festival launch takes place at a reception held by the Prince of Wales at St James's Palace with representatives of all participating buildings attending.

Highlights of the 2002 festival include the secret gardens of Eton College which are usually closed to the public and did not feature in last year's String of Pearls. The five gardens include the headmaster's private garden and Luxmoore's Garden, which is hidden on a small island on the Thames.

Eric Goodliff, head gardener at Eton College, said he was thrilled that the public would have a chance to see the fruits of months of hard work. He said: "Luxmoore's Garden is rarely seen by people as it is on an island accessible only by a small footbridge. There is a lawn and a small pond in the middle and the boys often go there in the summer when they want to work in tranquility. But all the gardens are beautiful and I would say each one is well worth a visit."

Other institutions participating include the Palace of Westminster, which has extended its access to the public and will also feature an exhibition of David Low's cartoons, the Commonwealth headquarters at Marlborough House and Kensington Palace, which will host a new exhibition of royal wedding dresses.

Organisers estimated some 800,000 visits were made to last year's Millennium String of Pearls festival, which ran from Kew to Greenwich and they are expecting even more visits will be made to the longer, Jubilee, festival.

For more information about the Golden Jubilee String of Pearls visit www.stringofpearls.org.uk .