The Designer Outlet in York could be getting its very own miniature railway ride in order to attract more people to the shopping centre. But will visitors to the commercial property want to ride a railway, when their primary intentions are to do a shopping trip?
The idea of a miniature railway came about, due to the City of York’s rail heritage. MRW Railways Ltd, based in Sheffield have drawn up plans of how the mini railway will work and believe it will not interfere with the visitors shopping experience. A statement by MRW Railways Ltd, stated: “We believe the introduction of a miniature railway to York Designer Outlet would create a high-quality attraction to be enjoyed by visitors of all ages.”
Speaking of the scheme, MRW Railways Ltd, expressed: “The railway will be suitably themed, with locomotives based on steam locomotives but powered by internal combustion engines and carriages to sit astride.”
“The railway enables visitors to have an alternative experience to shopping and would attract additional visitors to the outlet, benefiting tourism in the area. None of the other facilities or uses of the centre will be affected by the proposal,” MRW Railways Ltd added.
The railway will not be open all the time, giving the 3.6 million who visit the commercial property every year, the options to enjoy just a normal day out shopping at some of the biggest retail brands, including: Calvin Klein, Fossil, Fred Perry, Nike, Radley, Rockport and Timberland, just to list a few. The scheme plans to run during weekends and school holidays between 10am and 5pm, but the hours could be changed dependant upon demand.
A decision as to whether or not the commercial property will go ahead with the miniature railway scheme is expected to take place by the end of this year.
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