Princess Anne to open Dudley Portal

HER Royal Highness The Princess Royal will officially open the Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust's new visitor centre ‘The Portal' next month.

Her Royal Highness will take a tour of the new centre, which was completed in September last year, and will meet individuals who have played a key role in the project.

To see it in use

Children from nearby Wren's Nest Primary School have also been invited to the opening, and will be treated to an educational workshop session in the centre's new learning suite, allowing The Princess Royal to see the building in use.

Jeff Luesley, Chairman of Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust, enthused:

"Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal's visit is a real culmination of everybody's hard work on this seven years project. To finally see our new centre opened by royalty is truly an honour."

Improvement in facilities

The multi-million pound Portal building marks a significant improvement in facilities for Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust. The centre is home to an exhibition gallery which details the history of the Dudley Canal Tunnel and Limestone Caverns (The Biffa Award Gallery), a new restaurant and a function room and learning suite. All of which are intended to enrich the visitor experience for the general public, and for schools.

The event will be attended strictly by invited guests only and will culminate in the unveiling of a plaque and a reception for guests.