Experience set to move to Cardiff in Spring 2012
Thursday, 2 June 2011 - Reported by Marcus
BBC Worldwide have confirmed plans to move the Doctor Who Experience to Cardiff once it closes in London.The intention to move the exhibition to the Welsh capital was first announced in September 2010 following the closure of the long running Doctor Who Exhibition in the city. Planning permission has now been sought by Cardiff Council for the construction of a 3000 sq metre building in Porth Teigr, that will become the long-term home of the Doctor Who Experience from 2012.
Porth Teigr is a redevelopment of the old port area of Cardiff and will be the home to the new BBC Drama Village, where the Doctor Who studios will be located once they move from the current location of Upper Boat.
Working closely in partnership with BBC Worldwide, the City Council is progressing the feasibility of a commercial agreement that could bring the international attraction to the city in Spring 2012. In addition to submitting a planning application the council is carrying out ground investigations to establish substructure costs as part of the feasibility.
Philip Murphy, Managing Director for Live Events at BBC Worldwide commented:
The Doctor Who Experience opened to tremendous critical and customer reviews. Having a long-term home in a purpose-built facility in Cardiff will enable us to develop the Experience even further as the premier fan destination for Doctor Who. We’ve worked very closely with Cardiff Council to bring the Experience to Cardiff, and we believe that it will draw fans to the Welsh capital from around the world.
Keith Jones, Director of BBC Cymru Wales, says:
Wales is the home of Doctor Who – our original made-in-Wales drama success story – so locating this fantastic experience in Cardiff Bay is a great development. The show will have moved into its brand new production home at Roath Lock Studios by this time next year. It’s therefore very exciting that around the same time audiences will be able to come and enjoy such a thrilling experience, within a stone’s throw of where the magic is made.
Councillor Rodney Berman, Leader of Cardiff Council, said:
Cardiff is proud of being the home of Doctor Who which has undoubtedly helped raise the profile of the city. The new Doctor Who Experience coming to Cardiff Bay is a very exciting proposition and one that fans of the show are greatly looking forward to. This promises to be a great new attraction for the city with the added bonus of people being able to visit the Doctor Who Experience right next door to where the series is filmed.
The Doctor Who Experience remains open at Olympia Two in London and tickets are currently available to book there through to 20th November 2011. Further information about the closing date of the London run and the launch of the Doctor Who Experience in Cardiff will be released after planning permission has been obtained.
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