News - Nottingham's City of Caves set to reopen

 

Some of the caves underneath the city of Nottingham date back to the Dark Ages 

One of Nottingham's main tourist attractions is to reopen after being shut for nine months.

The City of Caves, the entrance to which is in the Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, shut in May as owners Westfield announced plans to revamp the centre.

But in December, the site was sold to Capital Shopping Centres (CSC), a move now under an Office of Fair Trading (OFT) probe.

It is hoped the caves will now open in time for February half-term.

Nicola Burley, director of enterprise and operations for Egalitarian Trust, the organisation which runs the Caves and the Galleries of Justice on behalf of Nottingham City Council, said it was a "little frustrating" the caves had to close at all.

"We have emails from people abroad who want to come to visit the caves, they attract a lot of visitors," she said.

"We know CSC has taken over, we know negotiations are in place and don't know any more than that.

"We only closed down because the Broadmarsh entrance was going to be redone but we have renovated our entrance, in time for reopening in February."

The City of Caves is part of a complex of up to 400 sandstone caves dating back to the Dark Ages, the last of which were in use until 1924.

Long-term plans

On 10 January, the OFT announced it was investigating the takeover of the Broadmarsh from Westfield by CSC.

In a statement, the OFT said the impact of the merger by CSC, which also owns Nottingham's Victoria Shopping Centre, was under way.

Professor Joshua Bamfield, from the Centre for Retail Research in Nottingham, said a decision from the OFT was not expected until September.

"There probably won't be any progress until the beginning of next year and fixed plans could be another couple of years after that," he said. 

In March, Westfield submitted plans to Nottingham City Council for a £500m expansion of the centre.

More than 6,000 jobs were expected to be created as part of the redevelopment.

The city council, which owns the Broadmarsh lease, has been planning the redevelopment of the centre for almost two decades.

From: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-nottinghamshire-16595387

Event - New crime tour at city museum (Nottingham)

VISITORS to the Galleries of Justice this Christmas can trace the footsteps of two infamous Notts prisoners.
The Prisoner's Tale Tour, which starts on Monday, will follow the stories of Mary Voce and John Fenton, who were imprisoned during the reign of Queen Victoria.

Visitors will be able to learn of their cases in the courtroom, before following their stories down to the old County Gaol at the museum.

Costumed interpreters will bring to life the Prisoner's Tales in performance tours every hour daily from 10.30am to 3.30pm.

The only days that the tours will not be running are Saturday December 24 to Tuesday December 27 inclusive and Saturday December 31 and Sunday January 1.

Nicola Burley, director of enterprise and operations at the visitors' attraction in High Pavement, in the Lace Market, said: "We focus very much on family entertainment and we feel that we have something to offer everyone over the festive period."

From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/New-crime-tour-city-museum/story-14101231-detail/story.html

News - Guide Margaret emerges from caves after 40 years (Nottingham)

THE longest-serving member of staff at the City of Caves is retiring after more than 40 years of giving tours.

Margaret Harrison was involved with the caves from the late 1960s, when they were rediscovered during the building of the Broadmarsh shopping centre.

She initially gave tours as a volunteer, until taking early retirement from teaching in 1994. That was when the caves opened as a tourist attraction.

She stayed there until 2003 when the Galleries of Justice took over. She was invited to return three years later and stayed until they temporarily closed last month while the shopping centre is redeveloped.

Margaret, from Carlton, said: "I have always held the view that when Westfield closes the caves for refurbishment then that would be my time to close too.

"So, with some regret and such a lot of happy memories it's time for me to retire."

Nottingham has more man-made caves than anywhere else in Britain.

The City of Caves – carved from soft Sherwood sandstone – includes a medieval tannery and recreations of the 19th-century slums of Drury Hill and of a war-time air raid shelter.

Gary Holmes, general manager of the Galleries of Justice Museum, said: "What Margaret doesn't know about the City of Caves isn't worth knowing.

"She is also well-known around the city as a Blue Badge Guide, conducts tours of the Council House and puts her own unique slant on a Nottingham Pub Trail which, I understand, is very entertaining."

The caves and dungeons at the Galleries are still open for business as usual during the refurbishment.

Nicola Burley, director of enterprise and operations for the Galleries and the City of Caves, said: "Margaret is irreplaceable and will be missed by myself and all her colleagues.

"We wish Margaret all the very best for the future."

From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/latest/Guide-Margaret-emerges-caves-40-years/article-3613795-detail/article.html

News - New Robin Hood exhibition to open (Nottingham)

A NEW Robin Hood exhibition is set to open at the Galleries of Justice.

The Nottingham: A Divided Town project was created by students from Nottingham Trent University.

Tim Desmond, chief executive of Galleries of Justice Museum, said: "The Galleries of Justice Museum are now at the forefront of promoting Robin Hood and championing him as an icon for Notts.

"NTU students have created an exhibition for local people to be proud of."

Local artists, the Sheriff of Nottingham and the High Sheriff also contributed.

The exhibition explores crime and punishment in the Dark Ages and is interactive.

Neville Stankley, course leader for Nottingham Trent University's MA Museum and Heritage Management, said: "For students to have a live project for such a high profile museum as the Galleries of Justice, in a city where Robin Hood means so much, is a fantastic opportunity."

The exhibition opens on April 16

From: http://www.thisisnottingham.co.uk/news/New-Robin-Hood-exhibition-open/article-3428788-detail/article.html