UK: A new £35 million LEGOLAND® Woodland Village development is set for its official opening to guests on Friday 24 May at LEGOLAND Windsor.
The woodland-themed holiday village, operated by Merlin Entertainments, features 130 lodges and 20 glamping / camping barrels, and a central clubhouse that provides reception, dining and entertainment facilities with indoor and outdoor seating areas.
A notice on the resort website reads: “Discover a new way to stay at the LEGOLAND® Windsor Resort with the all-new Woodland Village, and venture to where nature, and imaginations, never sleep!
“Enjoy a tranquil family stay as you relax and unwind in your very own woodland retreat and make tree-mendous memories to last a lifetime! Reconnect with nature and rediscover your roots with a woodland escape, and enjoy delicious campfire inspired dining at The Clubhouse Restaurant and Bar,” it adds.
According to Merlin Entertainments, the new Woodland Village is its first accommodation site to achieve the official carbon neutral verification from consultancy firm the Carbon Trust. As such, the village’s operational energy will not run on fossil fuels and will be achieved via a carbon reduction plan.
Speaking to Blooloop, Dare Ilori, group director of sustainability at Merlin, said: “We are thrilled to be opening our first operationally carbon-neutral accommodation. This marks a significant milestone in our sustainability journey, demonstrating Merlin’s firm commitment to reducing its environmental impact.
“This development will provide a blueprint for other resorts, as we strive to continuously reduce our carbon footprint across our global estate and lead the way in implementing new practices and working methods,” added Ilori.
The LEGOLAND Woodland Village will also be home to a variety of Lego creatures, including miniature rabbits, deer and ducks, which took more than 300 hours to create.
Helen Bull, divisional director at LEGOLAND Windsor, expects the holiday village to bring “thousands” of UK and international visitors to Windsor, and be a “major boost to travel and tourism” in the local area.
As it requires licensing consent from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead to operate the restaurant and bar, LEGOLAND Windsor has applied to play recorded music and host live music and dance performances between midday and 10pm each day, as well as to sell alcohol from 10am to 10pm on a daily basis.
The theme park currently houses more than 50 rides, attractions, live shows, building workshops and driving shows, and feature more than 80 million Lego bricks in total.
