First attraction concept pictures to go on display at Roman Quarter consultation session
Society Bar, 1pm – 7pm Thursday 4 July 2019
27 June 2019
Visitors to the public consultation event for the new Roman Quarter proposals will be amongst the first to see the initial concepts of what the new multi-million pound Roman visitor attraction might look like.
The concepts were created by RMA, a UK-based leading design, build and production company which has worked with York Archaeological Trust for over 30 years, most recently on the re-imagining of JORVIK Viking Centre in 2016. The concept illustrations show some ideas for how Roman York might be presented to the next generation of visitors, though Director of Attractions, Sarah Maltby, advises that much will change over the coming months and years.
“We have been working behind the scenes on concepts for what the visitor attraction may eventually look like for some time, but this is without knowing what fascinating items we might unearth during the archaeological dig. Our role is to share the stories of Roman York, and these stories will inevitably be shaped by what we find here and the things we learn for the first time about how the Romans lived on this very site,” says Sarah.
A concept visual of what a possible exhibition space may look like within the new visitor attraction. The attraction expects to receive over 500,000 visitors a year adding £20million into York’s economy.
Whilst co-applicants York Archaeological Trust, York-based developer North Star and hotel operator Native expect to submit a planning application later this year for the development on York’s Rougier Street, it will still be five years before the vision for the new Roman attraction will be realised and open to the public. However there will be plenty of opportunities for residents and visitors to the city to find out more, with York Archaeological Trust planning a huge public engagement exercise during the two year archaeological dig, which will incorporate tours, hands-on activity, exhibitions and the opportunity to watch archaeologists at work at the most significant excavation in the city for a generation.
“We are keen to hear what the public think about the proposals as a whole, but we’re particularly excited that the entrance to our attraction will be on a new street from Tanner’s Moat to Tanner Street, reinstating a former Roman road and opening up a vista towards All Saints Church on North Street – we hope to use this to create an interactive space that provides a fantastic precursor to the exhibition inside,” adds Sarah.
Local residents and businesses will have the opportunity to find out more about the exciting plans at a public exhibition event on 4 July at Society, 1 Rougier Street, between 1pm and 7pm. All consultation material, and feedback forms, will be available at www.romanquarterconsultation.co.uk.
For further media information or photographs, please contact Jay Commins at Pyper PR on +44 (0)1904 500698 or email [email protected]
