City lab welcomes record numbers through its doors

Derby City Lab has experienced its busiest day to date, after welcoming more than 100 people through its doors in a single day.

Last month, Marketing Derby staged a Bondholder VIP preview event, which involved an exclusive tour of Grainger’s stunning build-to-rent apartments scheme The Condor.

The event included a tour of flex office provider Cubo’s Derby site, situated directly opposite in Victoria Street.

And it also included a tour of the city lab in nearby St James’s Street.

While at the lab, attendees were able to explore the venue and find out more about its purpose.

Earlier the same day, the lab had been used as a base for Marketing Derby’s popular Insider Tours, which give people an exclusive insight into the city’s regeneration.

And as part of its now regular opening hours – of Wednesdays and Thursdays (12noon to 4pm) – the lab welcomed a number of visitors throughout the day.

Adam Rodgers, inward investment executive at Marketing Derby and Derby City Lab lead, said: “We were delighted to welcome so many visitors to the city lab in a single day.

“It was rather fitting that after recently celebrating its first anniversary, the venue saw a record number of people come through its doors – some of whom were visiting the city lab for the very first time.”

Opened just over a year ago, Derby City Lab was created thanks to a partnership involving Marketing Derby, Derby City Council, the University of Derby, Lathams and Clowes Developments.

Housed in a unit refurbished and supplied by Clowes, the lab is an initiative based on the concept of ‘urban rooms’, which have appeared in various cities around the world, including London, Amsterdam and Shanghai.

Recently selected as a finalist in the prestigious EG Awards, the Derby City Lab was created to engage, inform and inspire people about plans to shape the city going forward.

The Derby City Lab is currently hosting an exhibition by Artcore called Building Bridges.

Taking place until 7 September, it celebrates and explores Derby’s twinning link with Osnabruck.

For more information visit the Derby City Lab website at https://www.marketingderby.co.uk/derbycitylab/ .

To find out more about staging an exhibition or holding an event at Derby City Lab e-mail Adam Rodgers at Adam.rodgers@marketingderby.co.uk.

Places still remain for the final Insider Tour of the summer, which takes place on Wednesday 13 September.

For more information and to book places visit https://www.marketingderby.co.uk/derby-insider-tour/ .