THE businesses of south Durham have been urged to grasp the once-in-a-century opportunity offered by the multi-million pound resurrection of Auckland Castle.

More than 100 local leaders and businesspeople were invited to a meeting on Friday night in the castle to hear of the latest plans and to see how they might get involved.

They were welcomed by the philanthropist Jonathan Ruffer, who is leading the £60 million castle project and the £27 million Kynren nightshow spectacular.

Bishop Auckland MP Helen Goodman said: “Of course this project is about our heritage which is very special and very important, but right from the start, Jonathan hasn’t been just interested in the past, but the future, and the whole point about the project is the regeneration of the town and the area.”

She said that in 2009, the last year in which the castle was owned by the Church Commissioners, it received 1,600 visitors. In 2018, it is projected that 150,000 people will visit and in 2020, when the castle is fully open, 400,000.

Ms Goodman said: “It is a fantastic opportunity which I hope you will grasp, because the regeneration will not work solely by what happens within the castle walls – local businesses have to realise that this is a once-in-a-century opportunity.”

Liz Fisher, operations director, revealed that the Auckland Castle Trust had bought the Old Bank Chambers in Bishop Auckland Market Place which it is hoped will become a space for temporary art exhibitions.

She said the two closed hotels in the Market Place, the Postchaise, which is a listed building, and the Queen’s Head would be turned into a 40-bed boutique hotel. “It is highly likely that the Queen’s Head will be demolished,” she said.

Paul Stockdale, head of community liaison, said that Kynren will be ready for its first show on July 2, despite the wet winter. Watched by an audience of 8,000-a-night, it will feature 1,000 volunteers, 34 horses and spectacular effects to tell the story of 2,000 years of history, starting with a little boy kicking a football through the Bishop of Durham’s palace window.

He said: “We have the volunteers, we have the real estate and ticket sales are going really well – it will definitely happen, although there may be a little wet paint.”

The Lord Lieutenant of County Durham, Sue Snowdon, closed the meeting by saying: “I want to congratulate everyone for what has been achieved in a very short space of time by people with passion working in partnership.”