Visitors to The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens will see welcome improvements to their entry experience with the introduction of a new visitor reception and retail space.

The Palace Trust, the charity which manages the site as a heritage visitor attraction, submitted plans for a new ticket office, shop and entranceway with the objectives of providing a more accessible and welcoming entrance, enhancing visitor flow into the gardens and optimising the commercial activities of the Palace Trust.

As part of the changes the current Stableyard room, located next to the Bishop’s Table café, will provide a new entrance and retail space, including an accessible entrance and rear exit directly to the Palace’s South Lawn.

The expanded retail area and extra café seating will also provide the Trust with increased trading revenue; income that goes towards the sustainability of the charity and its ability to look after the unique historic site.

Merryn Kidd, CEO of the Palace Trust, said “the ticket office and shop presently operate out of a small space at the end of Bishops Table café, having been temporarily located there. We have really struggled to accommodate visitors with access needs, so are delighted to have received the approval to go ahead with our plans. We believe it will make a significant difference to the way we can welcome all of our visitors from Autumn onwards.”