An attraction inspired by the popular Harry Potter franchise just a half hour drive from Staffordshire could be held annually for the next five years. Families could soon be able to step back into the magical realm of Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience, which launched its opening trial run in October.
The popular attraction has given families the opportunity to navigate their way through a forest filled with mystical creatures, special effects, lights and sounds, offering Harry Potter fans the experience of being in the films themselves. Now Ravenswood Experiences, which operates the event, has applied for its return “for a temporary period of five years”.
The existing woodland trail and parking areas associated with Arley Hall would remain the venue for the attraction as it has since its opening. According to planning documents submitted to Cheshire East Council, 198,991 people attended the event since its opening, with 92 per cent of visitors from outside the county, including Staffordshire.
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It provided 82 jobs and claimed to have brought a gross value added figure of £2,677,907 to the counties economy, reports CheshireLive. A statement submitted with the plans says: “This application is for the operation of a new tourist attraction at Arley Hall, Arley Park, Arley.
“Harry Potter: A Forbidden Forest Experience is a night-time woodland trail experience that takes visitors through areas of the woodland which are associated with Grade II-listed Arley Hall. Visitors to the attraction will be taken through some of the most iconic forest scenes from the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts films with the experience lasting between 60 and 90 minutes for guests.
(Image: Warner Bros)
“Visitors to the event would use the existing, established car parking areas at Arley Hall. The woods have a pre-existing path that will continue to be used for the event walking trail and would be installed with sympathetic low-level lighting.
“Throughout the woodland at various stages of the walk, guests would be able to engage with interactive displays created by award-winning theatrical designers and experiential creators. In addition to the trail itself, a ‘Magical Village’ will be created at the end of the trail comprising temporary structures to sell a variety of food and drink, and Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts merchandise.
“The application seeks permission for a five-year temporary consent. The event operates on an annual basis between the months of October and January with opening hours between 4pm and 11pm.”
It goes on to claim that the ‘small-scale event’ would generate a ‘tangible social and economic’ benefit that will ‘enhance the future vitality of Arley and its heritage assets’. It added: “It has been fully evidenced that the proposal will not create any environmental harm.”
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