£174m transformation to put Wolverhampton on the world map

The city will undergo a £174 million transformation in the next 12 months. Wolverhampton Council says the city centre will see investment totalling nearly £700m over the next few years.

The city is preparing to spend a week this summer launching itself on the world stage as a destination for business conferences and meetings, as well as hoping to pull in thousands more visitors to attractions such as Bantock House, the Wolverhampton Art Gallery and Bilston Craft Gallery.

The city is holding its first visitor week, from Sunday, July 4. As part of the celebrations visitors can go behind the scenes at venues like Wolverhampton City Archives and the Grand Theatre.

There are also specific activities aimed at children and young people, including free taster sessions at the council-run WV Active leisure centres.

The city is also promoting itself on the global stage. A stand at a major visitor exhibition, IMEX in Frankfurt, has already led to interest from two potential conference events, it is understood.

Major projects already lined up for Wolverhampton include major expansion of the Civic Hall's concert venues, more than £30m to be spent upgrading the Mander Shopping Centre, a new headquarters for brewing and pubs group Marston's, a new railway station and multi-storey car park, Wolverhampton University's new Business School and the redevelopment of the former Sunbeam factory into homes.

Nicholas Pitt, manager of the Mander Centre and a member of Wolverhampton Economic Growth Board, said: "Wolverhampton is a great city. We have a lot to offer everyone."

Full details of all the events taking place during Wolverhampton Visitor Week can be found at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/visitorweek