Ashford College - Vision and Vineyards: Business Studies Students Enjoy Tours of Two Local Businesses
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Vision and Vineyards: Business Studies Students Enjoy Tours of Two Local Businesses

Level 2 Business Studies students from Ashford College have been out and about recently, visiting Ashford Picturehouse and Chapel Down winery to develop their understanding of marketing in preparation for their exam in January.

At the Ashford Picturehouse, they learnt about how to apply the four Ps of Marketing - Product, Price, Place & Promotion - along with understanding branding and placement in the market.

The learners were given a tour, going into the largest and smallest auditoriums of the six-screen cinema, the first in the Picturehouse chain to have a laser projector, which uses the latest energy-efficient digital cinema technology. They also learnt how the cinema meets the needs of people with dementia and autism.

The tour allowed them to appreciate that this was not just a cinema but a whole experience, aimed at their target audience.

The following day, they visited Chapel Down to help understand the development of the business, from planting the vines to the bottling process. They developed their understanding of diversification, learning how Chapel Down use their waste products to produce gin, vodka and brandy.

Lecturer in Business Jane Nott said: "It was a fascinating insight for our student into the challenges of managing a winery. Most were shocked how long it takes to grow the vine then be at the stage where it is ready to sell, around 8 years."