Shaylor revs up for start of work on £19.3m Silverstone centre

Aldridge-based Shaylor Group has begun work on a prestigious new heritage centre project after the development received the Royal seal of approval.

The £19.3m Silverstone Experience Centre is expected to attract more than 500,000 visitors annually when it opens next spring at the historic home of the British Grand Prix.

The official start of the scheme was marked by a visit to the project site by Prince Harry, in his capacity as Royal patron of The Silverstone Experience.

Supported by a £9.1m grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the heritage centre will bring the history of Silverstone and British motorsport to life.

The works include the full refurbishment of an existing World War II aircraft hangar alongside the construction of a new two-storey building to create an immersive experience.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) will be intrinsically woven into the fabric of the displays to build educational value into every aspect of the visit. The facilities will accommodate the Silverstone motorsport exhibition alongside the British Racing Drivers’ Club archive, educational facilities, café, atrium and reading room.

Shaylor CEO Stephen Shaylor said: “It was an absolute delight to have Prince Harry visit our site and officially mark the beginning of the construction programme. This is an exceptional opportunity for the business and our team is excited to begin the intricate process of creating this state of the art facility.

“Our appointment builds upon our existing strong reputation and performance in the creation and renovation of public use spaces and education facilities. We have already built an incredibly strong relationship with the Silverstone Experience team and look forward to a mutually enjoyable experience in delivering this project.”

Sally Reynolds, CEO of The Silverstone Experience, added: “After many years of planning and preparation (this) marks a key milestone in making the project a reality. At the end of last year we successfully concluded the public tender process and appointed Shaylor Group as our main contractor to carry out the hangar restoration and building work.

“We (were) delighted to welcome our Royal Patron Prince Harry to The Silverstone Experience to mark the start of this construction programme.”