Design & build focus.

Jo Roberts reports on the transformation of the Warwick Castle souvenir shop into a "chain" store with a difference...

Warwick Castle stands tall, a rich history running through its walls. Overlooking the River Avon in Warwickshire, the fortification has passed through many regal hands. Falling under the ownership of Tussauds leisure group in 1978, the historic building was restored and transformed in to a tourist attraction open to members of the public, and is now flooded with hundreds of thousands of visitors from all over the world each year.

Merlin Entertainment purchased Tussauds in 2007 and along with the castle, the group inherited a brand new shop complementing the Kingmaker Experience. Tourists can wander through a sensory exhibition that brings to life the Earl of Warwick's last-minute preparations for battle, with smells of the medieval world wafting in between the waxwork models on display.

The conclusion to the Experience is the Kingmaker shop. But high footfall meant the existing store was looking worn and it was not designed to maximise the space available. "It was a very tired looking shop. We get around 800,000 visitors each year at Warwick castle," says Damian Powell, head of retail and buying at Merlin Entertainments. He adds that the merchandising space and storage areas were …