It is one of the biggest changes to happen to the city centre landmark in decades. At a cost of a cool £30m, the redevelopment of Nottingham Castle has been underway since the summer of 2018.
The plan is to create 'a world-class visitor destination' adding new attractions and major updates of the Castle and grounds, to reflect its 1,000 years of history,
So when will it reopen to the public?
There is no set date as yet, no grand re-opening party to stick in your diary. While work is expected to be complete by the end of 2020, it won't be open to the public until early 2021.
The initial plan was for it to be open again by the summer of 2020 but various factors have pushed the date back. Richard Oldfield, project manager for G F Tomlinson, the company leading to transformation, said: "Throughout the project we have encountered a number of unknown factors ranging from the uncovering of rotten timbers, the failure of masonry and the discovery of unexpected archaeology."
What changes are being made?
- a new visitor centre at the entrance
- access to more caves beneath the Castle
- a Robin Hood gallery which will "bring to life the adventurous tales of the city's legendary outlaw"
- a new outdoor adventure play area located in the Castle Ditch
- restoration of the roof
- virtual-reality experiences
- a stained-glass window made in 1878 will be reinstated in the cafe
- more talks and events from artists, including theatre and music
What they say?
"I would expect that you would need more than a day to fully absorb it all."
Sara Blair-Manning, chief executive of the Nottingham Castle Trust
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