'Phenomenal' interest prompts observatory funding

A new space centre in Nottinghamshire opened to the public in November

A new planetarium in Nottinghamshire has welcomed 25,000 visitors in its first eight months, leading to new funding for the site.

Sherwood Observatory in Sutton-in-Ashfield reopened in November after a £6.8m transformation, with initial hopes of 20,000 visitors in the first year.

Dr Steve Wallace, chair of the observatory, said more than 1,000 people had visited during the six-week school summer holiday alone.

The success has led to the attraction successfully applying for government funding to appoint two new members of staff without having to raise its admission fees.

Dr Wallace said: "We have been blown away with the level of interest from people of all ages in what we are delivering.

"The extra staff will allow us to maintain our footfall without compromising the quality of experiences that our visitors have come to expect."

A new exhibition space has been created below ground in the old reservoir, with a glass ceiling above it

Sherwood Observatory, in Coxmoor Road, now features a 59-seat dome with an "immersive" 10m (32.8ft) diameter screen.

There is also an underground exhibition space in a converted Victorian reservoir, a science discovery centre, meeting rooms, classrooms, and a cafe run by the Academy Transformation Trust Further Education College as a student outreach project.

The attraction is a joint venture between Mansfield and Sutton Astronomical Society and Ashfield District Council.

Councillor for growth, regeneration and local planning at the council, Matthew Relf, said the interest in the attraction had been "phenomenal".