Derby City Lab welcomes its 10,000th visitor

The Derby City Lab has held a special celebration to mark its 10,000th visitor.

The landmark was recently achieved during a Derby Insider Tour event, which starts and ends at the lab, which is located on Level 2 of the Derbion shopping centre.

The Derby Insider Tour event, organised by Marketing Derby, is a free walking tour, which aims to give attendees an insight into the city’s regeneration.

And it was one of the participants of the walking tour – Jessica Southworth, regional engagement partner at RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) – who became the lab’s 10,000th visitor.

To celebrate, the city lab laid on cake for all of the Derby Insider Tour attendees.

Adam Rodgers, inward investment executive at Marketing Derby and Derby City Lab lead, said: “We were absolutely delighted to celebrate the 10,000th visitor to come through the door here at Derby City Lab.

“It is amazing that so many people have taken the time to come and visit the lab and find out more about the exciting plans for Derby’s future.”

The lab first opened in its current location in Derbion back in March.

Since then, people have flocked through the doors to find out more about Derby’s regeneration story.

Visitors have also been encouraged to share their ideas and opinions on how Derby could be made better. To date, more than 500 comments have been shared with the lab.

Staffed by a team of customer assistants, Marketing Derby staff and volunteer ‘changemakers’, the lab is open seven days a week (Monday to Wednesday 10am to 4pm, Thursday to Saturday 11am to 5pm and Sunday 11am to 4pm).

Located between Castle Galleries and Goldsmiths (and opposite Frasers/Sports Direct and Marks & Spencer), the purpose of the lab is to engage the wider community in better understanding the evolution of the city and investment pipeline.

Previously situated in St James’s Street, the new-look lab is a public/private partnership involving Marketing Derby, Derby City Council, the University of Derby and Derbion.

The centrepiece of the current city lab is the Derby City Model – a detailed 3D model of Derby city centre, which aims to help visitors visualise the city’s ongoing regeneration story.

It also houses the City Living Room, which includes detailed information about the city’s investment pipeline, as well as a 300-year timeline of the city.

Visitors can also view the city of the future by watching a film all about the University of Derby’s Derby Urban Sustainable Transition (DUST) project.

To find out more about the Derby City Lab and to plan your visit go to https://derbycitylab.com.