You may have noticed there has been a lot of activity lately around the old Engine Yard site at Belvoir Castle.
Belvoir Estates are now in the final stages of a truly exciting development that looks set to bring many visitors and create employment in the Vale. I was lucky enough to meet with Fiona Eastman, Project Manager of the Engine Yard development, who filled me in on the details.
Restaurant & Duchess’ Gallery
The Engine Yard project is a loving restoration of the former engine yard site, which was originally used by the skilled craftsmen employed by the Castle to carry out repairs to not only to the castle itself but also the many tenanted properties on the Belvoir Estate. 2018 will see the old Saw Shed & the Malt House get a much-needed facelift and be put to very different uses, such as a high-end restaurant, café, spa, wine merchant and retail units selling luxury brands. Not to mention the stunning Duchess’ Gallery. The old buildings have been lovingly restored, preserving many original features which has included the painstaking pointing of the old brickwork and retention of the lovely original floorboards in the restaurant/café.
The first to open at Easter 2018 will be the garden centre, closely followed by the rest of the development with the remainder finally open by the end of May 2018.
There will also be cycle hire facilities which will make use of the excellent cycling around the Castle itself and potentially opening some new trails.
There are many plans in the making for a summer packed full of events, including bbq’s, demonstrations from celebrity chefs, wine tastings etc.
Retail Units
The retail village will be a truly engaging and social space, steeped in heritage that enhances the lives of the local community and it’s surroundings. The site will include but is not limited to: Wine Merchant, Gunsmith, Cycle Hire/Shop, Restaurant/Café, Interior Design & Soft Furnishing, Rural Fashion. The aim is that all the units, although many of them independent from the Estate, will all work together to deliver a site that provides a one-stop shop for their customers, supplying everything needed for a day’s all-immersive shopping. Visitors will be inspired to reimagine their recipes, and will leave invigorated with a passion for cooking.
Upstairs Restaurant
There are currently three retail units left to fill, and Belvoir Estates are interested to hear from anyone who thinks their business would be a good fit with the vision & mission of the site. They are also looking for people interested in the cycle hire business. For more info… (https://www.belvoircastle.com/the-estate/the-engine-yard/)
