The Commandery is very pleased to announce a new operator for its café. Alex Daw, of Little Al’s Kitchen, is set to open a brand-new café on site on Tuesday 2 July.

Alex is very used to opening cafés in historic buildings as he already operates the successful Balcony Café at Worcester’s Art Gallery & Museum. The café will be known as Little Al’s Kitchen at The Commandery.

Set in the heart of historic Worcester, The Commandery is one of the city’s key visitor attractions. Most famous for being the Royalist Headquarters during the Battle of Worcester in 1651 it has also been a monastic hospital, family home, a college for the blind, and housed the Littlebury Printworks before becoming today’s museum revealing significant stories of Worcester’s history. The café occupies an idyllic and peaceful setting in its own gardens, overlooking the canal and just a short walk from the city’s bustling High Street.

Museums Worcestershire’s Audiences Manager, Helen Large says: “We are extremely pleased to welcome Little Al’s Kitchen to The Commandery. The café is a key part of the visitor experience and Alex understands what makes a successful café both for visitors to the museum and for his regular customers. Everyone wants excellent customer service with a good cup of coffee, home-made cake or lunch in a beautiful setting!”

Alex’s commitment to operating in an environmentally friendly way has already seen his business win the Visit Worcestershire Sustainable Tourism award.
Alex Daw of Little Al’s Kitchen says: “We are so excited to be building on our current partnership with Museums Worcestershire by taking on the café at The Commandery. We’ll be serving homemade cakes and treats and our fantastic locally roasted own-blend coffee, and we’ll also be developing a whole new menu based around local suppliers to bring the best of Worcestershire to the heart of the city. We can’t wait to welcome familiar faces and new customers.”

For opening times and further information, please visit museumsworcestershire.org.uk.

Worcester BID is thrilled to announce the completion of their largest city installation to date!

Worcester is now ablaze with colour as the summer aerial displays have been installed throughout the city. The vibrant bunting, featuring the distinctive Worcester Colour Palette by Stacey Barnfield, celebrates the city’s rich heritage and has been prominently displayed across various locations.

The displays include giant palette board decorations, classic summer bunting, and giant mesh spheres suspended overhead. This exciting initiative by Worcester BID aims to create livelier and more engaging city streets, already enticing many to book long weekends in the city to enjoy the displays.

This year, Worcester BID has installed displays on 8 city centre streets, including The Shambles, The Hopmarket, Reindeer Court, Broad Street, New Street, Friar Street, Mealcheapen Street, and St. Swithin’s. The Worcester Colour Palette, inspired by Worcester’s landmarks and history, features colours such as Elgar Bronze, Saucy Orange, Hive Gold, Cathedral Stone, Diglis Deep Blue, and Pear Black, reflecting the city’s vibrancy and diversity.

Stacey Barnfield, designer of the Worcester Colour Palette, said: “It’s so wonderful to see how Worcester BID has creatively adopted the Colour Palette concept with the new displays and bunting. The colour palette is all about celebrating the local history, people and places that make our areas so special to us, and this latest installation by Worcester BID does it so well.”

The Colour Palette was first used by The Arts Society Worcester in collaboration with WCRP, Worcester BID, and local partners through a project aiming to enhance Worcester’s first impression for visitors arriving by train at Foregate Street Station and additionally promoting local artistic talent. This project also supports wayfinding with maps positioned by stairwells, guiding visitors to explore the vibrant city.

Local businesses have enthusiastically supported the initiative, with Justin, Owner of Ware, commenting, “The installation of aerial displays in Reindeer Court is wonderful, tying the Court in with the city colour palette. Small businesses benefit enormously from increased footfall brought about by Worcester BID initiatives such as this—giving another reason to visit Reindeer Court!”

Other businesses, like Bottles Wine Bar and Merchants, have praised the displays on New Street and Friar Street, saying, “The displays have brought a new lease of life to New Street and Friar Street, a lovely representation of the community and creativity that Worcester shines with! Summer has arrived!”

Jennifer from ArrangeMYescape added, “What a fantastic and different way for our city to really stand out! It’s not only colourful but educational. A real celebration of what Worcestershire is all about.”

Bill Simpson, Trustee at The Hopmarket Charity said: “We are delighted to be part of Worcester BID’s initiative to bring colour and vibrancy into The Hopmarket; not only does it look fabulous it also brings the city’s history and heritage to life.  We hope it encourages more visitors to our courtyard space over the summer months.”

Looking ahead, Worcester BID will continue to enhance the cityscape with more projects, including revitalising areas like a patch of land on the junction between Lower Broad Street and Deansway, turning it into a haven for bugs and fauna, and further art enhancements to improve tagged areas of the city.

If you are a landlord or own an area in the city that needs some TLC, please contact us at info@worcesterbid.com.

The Euros start tonight!

It’s Coming to Worcester

With the excitement building for UEFA Euro 2024, Worcester’s city centre offers some great spots where fans can watch the matches and soak in the atmosphere with some great food and drink.

Venues to Watch Euro 2024 in Worcester

1. Mode Sports Bar and Grill: Featuring LOTS of big screens and a spacious outdoor garden.
2. O’Neill’s: Known for its lively atmosphere and HD screens, perfect for enjoying the Euros with food and drinks.
3. Craft Inn: Offering a vast selection of craft beer, with online reservations providing drinks credit and free half-time food.
4. The Horn and Trumpet: A traditional pub with live game screenings and food and drink specials.
5. The Kings Head: Located on Sidbury, this venue offers courtyard screenings and a great pint of Guinness.

To ensure you don’t miss any of the action, check out our local pub guide tips below…

• Arrive Early: Popular big-screen venues can fill up quickly, especially for England games. Booking where possible and arriving early ensures you get a good seat. Maybe go for food first!
• Check Reservations: Most venues showing the games in the city accept table bookings, so it’s worth checking in advance to secure your spot!
• Special Promotions: Support your local venues and look out for special promotions on food and drinks during match days.

We hope you enjoy the Euros in Worcester’s City Centre pubs! But to keep you safe whilst you do so, West Mercia Police has launched “Operation Hubble,” a proactive initiative designed to ensure public safety and manage crowds during the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament. As football fever grips the nation, Operation Hubble is working to ensure that everyone can enjoy the matches in a safe environment. You will see increased patrols in busy areas, collaboration with local venues hosting match viewings, and a zero-tolerance approach to alcohol-related incidents.

Businesses interested in showcasing Operation Hubble on their social media or premises can access a variety of downloadable resources from West Mercia Police below.

Press the image to open up a downloadable copy. 

Worcester is set for a vibrant and exciting summer with a multitude of fantastic events!

Worcester BID is thrilled to partner with the Waddle of Worcester as the Community and Education Partner. This unique event will bring creatively designed penguin sculptures to the city and aims to foster local pride and community engagement, enhancing the vibrancy of Worcester while boosting footfall, dwell time, and spending in the city. As part of the initiative, Worcester BID will place baby penguin sculptures in business windows, integrating the trail with the business community and highlighting its commitment to educational and cultural initiatives. This effort will also support vital fundraising for St. Richard’s Hospice.

Additionally, Worcester BID is organising a summer window art trail across 50 city centre business windows, themed on the penguin trail. This will bring extra vibrancy to the city, support local businesses, and paint the town penguin!

Another highlight of the summer is the return of the historic Three Choirs Festival from July 27 to August 3. Known as one of the world’s oldest classical choral music festivals, this year’s event will explore the theme of the natural world, celebrating compositions inspired by Earth’s landscapes and seascapes. With performances from renowned musicians and choirs, as well as premieres of contemporary works, the festival is a cultural gem for Worcester, enriching the city’s artistic scene and boosting local tourism.

In an exciting collaboration, Worcester BID and the Three Choirs Festival will be introducing a music trail this summer. This interactive experience allows participants to explore the works of historic and contemporary composers featured at the festival by scanning QR codes on shields displayed in business windows. Participants can listen to music instantly or access detailed information about the artists and the full trail through a comprehensive Linktree. With 15 boards to discover, including three special gold ones, this trail brings the festival further into the city, promoting footfall and adding a unique dimension to Worcester’s cultural festivities.

This summer, Worcester promises a season filled with creativity! Stay tuned for more details in this special edition of Worcester Sounds.