Absolutely Wicklow Shop - Old Bray Courthouse

Annasopra

There's a new pop up shop opening in Bray with a range of hand made crafted pieces

http://www.absolutelywicklow.ie/

Judgement Day

Looks a great idea but what happened to the 'Heritage Cente'? The Bray Town Council website says it's closed for refurbishment.

Absolutely Wicklow is an initiative of Wicklow County Arts Office supported by the County Enterprise Board, the Crafts Council and Bray Town Council. Absolutely Wicklow has been created to showcase some of the high end handmade crafts that are exclusively made in County Wicklow. It involves setting up this site where the public can get in touch with makers directly and browse large collections of their work, and a retail store opening on November 18th at the old Heritage Centre in Bray beside the Royal Hotel.

A.T.

I too was wondering what is happening to the Old Courthouse. The Tourist Information board has moved out from there into the New Town Council buildings, at the top of Main street, and the Heritage center remained closed for the best part of two years.
Not exactly the strategy you would expect from the city that is trying to attract tourism. If we were serious about heritage, not only one permanent exhibition is needed about the history of Bray, but also one that could use the left wing of Bray Daly railway station, (this part of building currently closed), for an exhibition about construction and operation of the first Irish railway, extended to Bray in 1853. The two of the city's historic societies could provide amazing photographs and captivating stories from that period. Today's popularity of "Tomas the Train Engine" amongst kids indicates that the time for such a museum has arrived.

Judgement Day

I wouldn't be keen to see the 'temporarily' vacated bar/buffet at Bray station used at a heritage centre as rail passengers would benefit more from a good refreshment facility. IE would probably be delighted, as using railway buildings for 'heritage' exhibitions is their thing, rather than providing proper facilities for passengers.

Incidentally, I think the lack of response to this thread is another reason that there won't be a Bray Sub-forum - nobody up there is awake. :rolleyes:

A.T.

The Wicklow Times has just announced re-opening of the Heritage Center in the Old Courthouse building, so good news there. But Bray needs more exhibitions, museums and places to visit which would appeal to local and International tourists.
When the Railway station was first built the intervals between the trains use to be much longer then it is now, that is why two large halls were necessary for passengers to wait comfortably indoors. Don't see why anyone would want to do it these days. But even if it was reopened as a waiting hall wouldn't it be more entertaining to pass the time waiting by looking at the local exhibition which tells the story of the railway, the station and the people who worked there. Some people would call it cultural experience.

Annasopra

A.T. wrote: »

The Wicklow Times has just announced re-opening of the Heritage Center in the Old Courthouse building, so good news there.

really? There is a shop just opened there called "absolutely wicklow" as per the thread so I'm not sure the heritage centre is reopening at all