Restored Carriage Shed opens at Chester station

New public space has opened outside Chester Railway Station, marking the gateway to the city’s £100m new central business quarter.

The grade two-listed Carriage Shed next to the station will be used as a waiting area and event space for passengers and visitors.

Carriage Shed links the station to Muse Developments’ recently launched 70,000 sq ft office building One City Place and across the Shropshire Union Canal to the £20m Waitrose store and other shops in Boughton.

More than £1.5m was invested in the new public realm by Cheshire West & Chester Council supported with £617,550 from the European Regional Development Fund. The transformation includes the renovation of the Coach House, construction of a new Arriva Trains Wales store, a new glass roof, living wall, planting and paving.

Carriage Shed will have a dedicated event team and yearly events programme, as it looks to create an alternative venue for Chester’s entertainment. It will showcase everything from live theatre performances to themed monthly markets, which will be open to all residents of Chester as well as providing a unique venue to hire.

To celebrate the start of the events programme and officially launch the space, the public are invited to visit Carriage Shed on Friday 1 April and Saturday 2 April for a series of events.

Willow weaver and basket maker Cherry Chung will visit Carriage Shed to unveil an art installation which will be on display for a four-week period.

On Saturday 2 April the space will feature local street food stalls and weaving workshops for families of Chester to enjoy.

Phil Mayall, development director for Muse Developments, said: “Carriage Shed and the surrounding public realm provides the perfect setting for Chester’s new Central Business Quarter which will bring more than £96m to the city’s economy growth.

“As well as providing an exciting new events destination for the city, the space will be open for the public to use. It will boost the connectivity in the area by linking Chester Railway Station to the surrounding business, leisure and retail opportunities and offer a unique event space in the heart of Chester.”

The new public realm was designed by Broadway Malyan and built by MPH Construction.