Opening date announced for cathedral extension

A new £12.7m heritage and learning centre at Leicester Cathedral will open in June, senior clergy have confirmed.

Work to extend the cathedral, where the remains of King Richard III are interred, began in 2021 and has now been completed.

The Diocese of Leicester said the opening of the extension on Saturday 14 June would be a "significant milestone" for the place of worship.

The new facility will include an exhibition space with curations about the history of the cathedral and the wider city and will include Roman and mediaeval artefacts.

Dean of the cathedral, the Very Reverend Karen Rooms, said: "The opening of the heritage and learning centre is a transformative moment for Leicester Cathedral and prepares us for the next 100 years.

"This project has restored and renewed this ancient building and helps us to balance the needs of our services and worship, cultural tourists, school visits, community events, pilgrims and visitors.

"This new building expresses our commitment to be a cathedral for everyone."

The diocese said it wanted the project to enable the building to "function as a 21st Century cultural space without compromising the sacred workings of a Church of England cathedral".

The new centre, paid for through donations, fundraising and National Heritage Lottery Fund grants, will also include an educational space open to schools and community groups.

It will also have modern toilet facilities for visitors and provide office space for cathedral staff.

An opening ceremony and ribbon cutting has been planned for 11:00 BST on 14 June.

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