Would you like a tour inside Great Yarmouth's Winter Gardens?

On Saturday, March 18, people have the chance to explore the inside of the Winter Gardens before work begins and learn more about what makes the building so significant to local people and to hear about the council's plans for the restoration of the building.

The Winter Gardens is the UK's last-surviving Victorian glasshouse that sits on a seaside promenade. Despite not having been open to the public since 2008, in a previous life it was a symbol of the golden era of the seaside, hosting a range of seaside entertainments from concerts and dancing, to roller-skating and arcades.

In 2021 the Winter Gardens was one of five transformational heritage projects across the country to be awarded a Heritage Horizon Award from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. The funding will see the iron and glass structure restored to its former glory as a people's palace on Great Yarmouth's seafront.

Rachel Daniel, the council's Winter Gardens partnership and engagement co-ordinator, said: ''We are really excited to be taking part in National Lottery Open Week and give National Lottery players the opportunity to view the historic Winter Gardens from the inside before restoration begins.

"As ever, we are grateful to National Lottery players and The National Lottery Heritage Fund for making this project possible.''

Visitors will be provided with full PPE including a hard hat, high-visibility tabards and protective eyewear before being guided through the building by the council's Winter Gardens engagement co-ordinator.

There are 12 places per tour and tickets will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Tours will run at 11am, 12.30pm and 2pm. Places must be booked in advance by emailing pmo@great-yarmouth.gov.uk

One National Lottery ticket or scratch card will give access to one adult and any accompanying children between the ages of 14 and 18.

The Winter Gardens is currently a building site and so unfortunately not accessible to wheelchair users.