Labour peer looks forward to ‘navigating the challenges’ as visitor attractions chair

Baroness JAN ROYALL has been appointed chair of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), stepping down as principal of Somerville College, Oxford after eight years. She takes up the new post this month.

A former Labour shadow cabinet spokesperson, chief whip and leader of the House of Lords, Royall will lead the membership organisation to champion the work of visitor attractions with government, business and the media.

She succeeds the chief operating officer of the Roman Baths and Pump Room in Bath, SIMON ADDISON, and head of ceremonial, events and marketing at Westminster Abbey, LORRAINE ROSSDALE, who were co-chairs between May 2024 and September 2025.

Royall said she was “ honoured and excited” to join ALVA and “support and champion the work of the association and this vital, vibrant sector”.

“I look forward to being an advocate, to build on its enormous success and to help members navigate the challenges ahead,” she said.

BERNARD DONOGHUE OBE, CEO and director of ALVA, added: “Baroness Royall has a proven passion for, and commitment to our sector, having been the chair of the award-winning People’s History Museum, and the University of Oxford’s museums, galleries and botanics are active members of ALVA.

“I am enormously looking forward to working with Baroness Royall, not least in our advocacy work, and I pay huge thanks to Simon and Lorraine for their very successful co-chairmanship of ALVA over the last year.”