More hidden secrets from Chester’s walls are to be revealed by a new trail.
The city’s business improvement district CH1ChesterBID has launched a new ‘The Secret Lives of Shops’ route. The walk is part of the city’s Talking Walls project with just weeks to go until the initiative concludes.
The team behind the citywide heritage project that has given voices to Chester’s walls has released the new retail trail to mark the final few weeks of the pioneering scheme.
Introduced in June 2017 the project, commissioned by the business improvement district, has seen 26 of Chester’s iconic buildings sharing stories from the city’s past.
BBC Breakfast news presenter Louise Minchin, former MP and TV presenter Gyles Brandreth and ITV Granada star Lucy Meacock are amongst the celebrities to have lent their voices to the project which brings the city’s buildings to life.
Smartphone users scan a code from a green plaque and receive a phone call from the wall.
The new ‘The Secret Lives of Shops’ route includes independent stores such as Weasel and the Bug, The Hat Place and Lee Louise as well as Barbour, M&S and the Grosvenor Shopping Centre.
Each store has its own story to tell including one which claims to be Chester’s oldest timber building and another that can trace its history all the way back to the 14th century.
Judy Tagell, marketing manager at the business district, said: “For the past year the Talking Walls project has brought to life some of the most famous walls, stores and places of interest within Chester.
“It’s been a project which has captured the imagination of both young and old and has used heritage, humour and online technology to effectively tell the fascinating history of our city.”
She continued: “The launch of ‘The Secret Lives of Shops’ route is all about giving those people who have yet to hear the stories of Chester’s walls another reason to come and take part in the project.
“Talking Walls was always created as 12-month initiative and it’s been a big success, we’re fast approaching 20,000 plays for all the different stories across the city.
“The walls will continue talking until June 21, 2018, so there’s still plenty of chance to step back in time and revel in the stories of Chester’s past in the city centre.”
City centre visitors can go to the visitor information centre at Chester Town Hall to pick up the new ‘The Secret Lives of Shops’ route or a free map of the full route of 26 walls. There are other shorter routes including a haunted places trail.
The maps can also be downloaded from the Talking Walls of Chester website at www.talkingwallschester.co.uk which has more information about the project.
