Cumbria needs to harness its “natural creativity” and be bolder if it is to maximise the full economic and social potential of World Heritage Site status for the Lake District.

That was the message from Arts Council chief executive Darren Henley, during a lively panel discussion on Friday, to debate the University of Cumbria’s unique position as the only one in the UK to have a campus in a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Mr Henley told more than 100 delegates who gathered at the university’s Ambleside campus for the debate, of the institution's “vital” role in promoting and developing the Lake District and Cumbria, not just for the benefit of art, culture and academia but for business, local communities and, most importantly, young people.

“This campus is absolutely fantastic – who wouldn’t want to be a student and study in this environment, it is absolutely brilliant,” he said.

“One of the themes about being a world heritage university is about what you are going to nurture, grow the next generation of talent here, and I think that’s something that’s really, really important. The idea that people’s careers as great artists are made and formed in Cumbria and that they take Cumbria out to the world, is extremely powerful.

“Also, this is ‘porous’ campus, there aren’t walls around it. The local community and people who live and work here can come and visit the university and they should own it as much as the student who spends three years of their time here.”

Mr Henley reiterated a message he delivered in Carlisle on the first of a two-day visit to see the work of the university, that Cumbria needed to do more to extol its virtues to the wider world.

“You are a bit shy about it to be honest and you hide your light under a bushel,” he continued.

“I think one of the things you should do is to be more bold and more confident about going out there and shouting about just how great the assets you have. We talk a lot here about the physical and environmental assets, but you have got great assets in terms of people. That is something you should revel in and something you should, very strongly, go out and tell people about.”

The university’s vice chancellor Professor Julie Mennell agreed.

“We should shout more about what we do and be more confident in promoting the talent of our students and staff because much of what they are doing is world-class,” she said.

“We have got a really attractive offer here that is relevant on that world stage. If you’re interested in English, Literature, conservation, forestry, the list goes on and on, then where better to come and study than the Lake District?”

She added: “As a university we have to look at how we bring people together to see how we might capitalise on World Heritage Site status further, what that means in terms of boosting the visitor economy, what the visitor economy needs to enable to do that, and what we can provide.”

Nigel Wilkinson, managing director of Windermere Lake Cruises and Cumbria Local Enterprise Partnership’s lead on the visitor economy and rural affairs, said the whole of Cumbria needed to grasp opportunities presented by World Heritage Site status for the Lake District National Park, which was awarded in July 2017, and highlighted the long-held inscription of Hadrian’s Wall, which stretches along the north of the county down to Ravenglass.

“Enhancing Cumbria’s adventure capital, cultural and heritage offer, and growing Cumbria’s international visitor spend are just two of Cumbria’s LEP’s priorities,” he said.

“That is why culture is so important for the whole of Cumbria. We have to use the two world heritage sites we have to attract and disperse economic benefits that can deliver.”

Richard Leaf, chief executive of the Lake District National Park Authority, said success of World Heritage Site status was now in the hands of businesses, organisations and individuals.

He said: “Making the most of it requires everybody to feel as though they own it – it’s not mine, it’s not the national park authority’s, it is all of ours, it is all of Cumbria’s.

“We very much encourage all businesses anywhere in Cumbria to take advantage of it and to use the ‘We are the Lakes’ identity in their marketing to get the message out there.”

He also moved to dispel some myths.

“It doesn’t come with any new sums of money from UNESCO. They aren’t sat there with a huge bank account saying, ‘you’re in the club, here’s the cash, get in with it’,” he continued.

“World Heritage inscription alone does not result in many more millions of people coming to visit the national park. If we succeed in shifting the categorisation of visitor from people we have at the moment to more of a cultural visitor, who tend to stay longer and spend more, then that could benefit the local economy by around £20 million.

“Equally, and contrary to popular belief, it doesn’t come with new regulations in terms of planning control for us as a park authority. It is pretty neutral in that sense.”

The panel debate also included The Robert Woof director of the Wordsworth Trust, Michael McGregor, David Sykes, director of People and Places at South Lakeland District Council and chief executive of Lakeland Arts Trust, Gordon Watson.

It followed a tour of the Ambleside campus and the Armitt Library and Museum, which includes works by Beatrix Potter and eccentric artist Kurt Schwitters.