Midlands contractor G F Tomlinson has been appointed by Nottingham City Council as the main contractor for construction of the £30m Castle Transformation Project.
Nottingham Castle will be closed for the next two years to become a world-class visitor destination, with improvements funded by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), D2N2, Nottingham Castle Trust and Nottingham City Council.
The redeveloped site will include a new visitors centre and remodelling of the grounds, as well as new Robin Hood and Rebellion galleries to tell the stories of the city’s legendary outlaw and history of rebellion. The Castle’s wonderful collections of fine and decorative arts will be thoughtfully re-displayed and access to the caves within the Castle Rock will be improved.
G F Tomlinson will bring new employment opportunities and training for local people throughout the project, along with work experience placements and apprenticeships, creating a unique working environment.
The company will be involved in all the works on the Castle site, which will include the contemporary visitors centre, building the extension to the Ducal Palace that creates the new Robin Hood Gallery, the refurbishment of the Ducal Palace itself, and landscaping the grounds.
Councillor Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Localities, said: “We are pleased to be welcoming G F Tomlinson to this major project. It’s exciting we have reached this major milestone and I can’t wait to see the construction work start, to realise the ambition and imagination that will form part of the new Castle experience.”
Chris Flint, Director at G F Tomlinson said: “It’s fantastic to have started work on this major restoration and development project and to have the opportunity to upgrade the visitor experience and showcase the vast history of Nottingham Castle.
“We have a track record of delivering quality restoration across the East Midlands and the company is very excited to be chosen to join the team on this amazing journey. It’s been a pleasure to reach this milestone with Nottingham City Council and its partners and we look forward to delivering this and more projects throughout the region.”
Jonathan Platt, Head of HLF East Midlands, said: “This is an important step forward for this exciting project. Thanks to money raised by National Lottery players, we have awarded over £14million towards the Castle’s redevelopment. We look forward to seeing the project really gather pace now with G F Tomlinson joining the delivery team and to working closely with the project team in the months to come.”
Nottingham Castle Trust said: “We are pleased to see the appointment of G F Tomlinson to begin the construction programme at Nottingham Castle – this transformational project will now gather speed with an experienced contractor driving the works. We look forward to working with them and to seeing the new Nottingham Castle emerge.”
Matthew Wheatley, D2N2 LEP Chief Executive, said: “Nottingham has a varied and rich history. Nottingham Castle is a striking part of Nottingham’s skyline and this new and improved castle experience will help bring Nottingham’s history and heritage to life, attract even more visitors to the site, create jobs and improve the overall visitor offer across Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire.”
