Building work on the new Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre – part-funded by the D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership – has reached an important stage.
Main external works on the new £5million-plus Centre, due to open this summer (2018), in Sherwood Forest have been completed. Work is funded by Nottinghamshire County Council, the Garfield Weston Foundation, the Thoresby Estate and the RSPB; which is leading a consortium managing the project.
The D2N2 LEP is investing £500,000 in the project, via its Local Growth Fund allocation; funding awarded via Government which the LEP invests in capital projects of direct benefit to the local economy and jobs creation.
Partners gathered at the Centre site yesterday (March 28) for a ‘topping out’ ceremony on the main external works. The event was attended by D2N2 Capital Projects Officer, Tom Goshawk (pictured centre).
When complete, the new Visitor Centre will look to increase visitor numbers from the current 350,000 a year and, over its first decade, aim to boost visitor spend by an extra £1million per year and create around 28 full-time jobs linked to the Centre.
The new Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre will include information about Robin Hood and his legend, and on the wealth of wildlife and woodland in the area. Its facilities will include a shop and a café, with an outside terrace and amphitheatre, and new play area.
D2N2 is the private sector-led partnership of business, local authorities, skills and training providers, and community and voluntary services representatives which promotes economic and jobs growth across Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire.
D2N2’s economic strategy for its area includes having eight key sectors – ones where the D2N2 area already has or could develop an advantage over rival areas – one of which is the Visitor Economy, including tourism.
For more information on the Sherwood Forest Visitor Centre project, and to see artist’s images and impressions of the new Centre see web link http://visitsherwood.co.uk/a-gateway-to-the-forest/
Further information about how D2N2 is using its Local Growth Fund allocation to develop and boost its area’s economy can be found at web link www.d2n2lep.org/Local-Growth-Fund
Media wanting further information about the D2N2 LEP can contact D2N2 Communications Manager Sean Kirby on 0115 957 8749 or email: sean.kirby@d2n2lep.org
