GOLD STANDARD!
KING RICHARD III VISTOR CENTRE UP THERE WITH BEST IN COUNTRY
A LEICESTER tourist attraction has been recognised as one of the best visitor experiences in the country – sitting proudly alongside big names such as Tower Bridge and Cadbury World.
The King Richard III Visitor Centre is celebrating after being recognised nationally for the outstanding visitor experience it provides.
The visitor centre won the gold award in this year’s Visit England competition – a status only accorded to those attractions providing the very best all-round experiences.
Of the 76 attractions recognised across the country, only 27 achieved gold and, of those, only three were in the East Midlands.
Other gold winners include Cadbury World in Birmingham, Bletchley Park in Buckinghamshire – where the British cracked the Nazis’ Enigma code during the Second World
War – Chester Zoo and the Tower Bridge Exhibition in London.
Iain Gordon, general manager at the visitor centre, said: “After our assessment in August, we achieved our highest-ever score of 92 per cent and we thought things couldn’t get better.
“We are so thrilled to receive the gold accolade from Visit England, it’s fantastic news.
“We love sharing the incredible story of King Richard III at the visitor centre every day, and after a challenging year, this is a real tribute to the whole team here, who work so hard to deliver what we can now call a gold standard experience.”
Attractions are scored by a “secret shopper” sent by Visit England, who assesses each place based on categories such as best welcome, food and drink and engaging stories.
City mayor Sir Peter Soulsby also praised the achievement and the hard work of the centre’s team.
He said: “It’s hard to believe it’s almost 10 years since King Richard’s remains were discovered here in Leicester.
“Since we opened the doors to the
We’re very proud of the centre, and I hope this endorsement encourages anyone who hasn’t been to see it Sir Peter
visitor centre in 2014, people from all over the world have come here to find out more about this incredible story.
“It is testament to the hard work of the team there that, after a very difficult period, they continue to offer a great welcome and visitor experience – so much so that they’ve been awarded this rare accolade by Visit England.
“We’re very proud of the visitor centre, and I hope this endorsement encourages anyone who hasn’t been there to see it for themselves.”
The 1620s House and Gardens at Donington le Heath, near Coalville, also received a mention, picking up a welcome award for how visitors are treated upon their arrival.
County Councillor Christine Radford, cabinet member for heritage, leisure and arts, said: “I am delighted that the hard work of the staff and volunteers at the 1620s House & Garden has been recognised by such a prestigious visitor organisation as Visit England.”