30 Oct 2002 - 30 Jul 2003
'Star Trek - The Adventure' Proposed for Hyde Park
Hyde Park

A proposal for a Star Trek World Tour exhibition to take place in Hyde Park over the winter period is currently with Westminster City Council for planning approval.

This will be the launch of a globe spanning tour that will move on to Australia, Asia and the Americas. It will attract not just enthusiasts and tourists but also families and schools with its education and community activities focusing on genuine science and the environment.

Supporters for this boost to the London tourist trade and to the local community include the Friends of Hyde Park & Kensington Gardens, the London Tourist Board, the London Film Commission and the Oxford Street Association.

In addition to the exhibition, and in a major coup for London, there will be the prestigious world premiere of the next Star Trek film, featuring British actor Patrick Stewart as Captain Jean Luc Picard.

The proposed site is under five acres (out of 350) and will be structured so that there will be no road closures nor any major impediments to crossing the park itself. Though there will be some machinery on the site, the event is not sound-generating and will not be audible outside the Park. External lighting will be of a type to subtly blend in with existing lamps.

The event will run from December to April, through the 'quiet' (and cold) winter months. The proposed site is not used substantially except in summer and currently suffers from deterioration. Once the exhibition is finished work will start immediately to totally re-instate the ground and renew the turf (the cost to be borne by the promoter). There will be no other major events in Hyde Park before July 2003.

The Royal Parks can confirm that the first £600,000 income from the event would be divided equally between vitally needed renovations in Hyde Park and Regent's Park. Additional money raised from the project would go to further benefit Hyde Park.

William Weston, Chief Executive said, "The exhibition will be a valuable boost to tourism and will provide fantastically exciting education opportunities alongside great entertainment. The income will help us carry out vital work in The Royal Parks. The proposal is going through the planning process and The Royal Parks is actively engaging the local stakeholders in discussing their concerns. I must emphasise this is a one-off event and not the start of a trend - we have no intention of holding events of this nature in Hyde Park in future years."

Source:
The Royal Parks

For further information contact:
The Royal Parks Press Office T: 020 7298 2128 E: press@royalparks.gsi.gov.uk

Editor's notes:
London's eight Royal Parks rank amongst the UK's greatest outdoor attractions. Free and open to everyone, they are a very special cultural and recreational resource for millions of people, both Londoners and tourists alike.

The Royal Parks are: Bushy Park, Green Park, Greenwich Park, Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Regent's Park (with Primrose Hill), Richmond Park and St James's Park.