York’s Chocolate Story has transformed its shop and café as part of its biggest-ever transformation – and introduces its first dedicated hot chocolate bar.
Its fresh new look aims to celebrate York’s rich chocolate-making heritage.
The six-figure investment by operator Continuum Attractions has also seen the frontage of the King’s Square attraction upgraded to feature the faces of the city’s four founding chocolate-making families.
York has long been regarded as Britain’s chocolate capital, home to pioneering confectionery families including Tuke, Rowntree, Terry and Craven.
Inspired by Quaker values, these families helped change the way chocolate was made, sold and enjoyed, making it more affordable and accessible to the masses. Their influence extended beyond chocolate, with a lasting impact on York’s people and communities – stories told in the attraction’s popular Guided Tours which remain unchanged.
The new look puts these stories back at the heart of the attraction, featuring illustrations of Joseph Rowntree, Joseph Terry, Mary Tuke and Mary Ann Craven. Created by LMC Design, the refreshed identity celebrates the spirit of innovation behind York’s chocolate heritage, bringing together history, discovery and indulgence in a contemporary style.
The transformed retail space provides more room to showcase the attraction’s signature fresh chocolates, crafted by its expert chocolatiers, alongside iconic York associated brands such as KitKat and Terry’s Chocolate Orange.
The new hot chocolate bar invites guests to explore different flavours and toppings, adding a creative new dimension to the attraction’s much-loved chocolate offering.
The investment is the biggest in the attraction’s 14-year history.
Stuart Wood, general manager at York’s Chocolate Story, said: “We are proud to unveil our new-look shop and café, which take inspiration from the chocolate shops of yesteryear while introducing some exciting modern twists.
“One of the highlights of the new space is our dedicated hot chocolate bar, which allows guests to experiment with different flavours and toppings to create something truly personal.
“But this investment is about more than a new-look shop. We wanted to put the history of York’s chocolate pioneers back at the heart of our identity, celebrating the people, ideas and innovations that helped make the city famous for chocolate.”
“It’s just really nice to keep that heritage alive,” said Andrew Pawson, CEO of Continuum Attractions that manages York’s Chocolate Story. “Keeping that chocolate heritage alive and bringing it to life in an old-chocolate-shop-with-a-new-twist to it theme. It’s about engaging the guests that come in to get the ticket and go upstairs and learn more about it.”
One of the big stylistic changes is the lift. Andrew continued, “We wanted this to be the real theatrical piece to make you think: What’s up there? What can we go do? It’s quite a significant investment, but I think well worth it.
“I’m really proud of the team for pulling all this together,” he said. “The team have worked incredibly hard – from concept right through to delivery. It’s amazing to see those bits of A5 where you go, ‘Oh, that looks stunning,’ to then see it come to life. It’s so thrilling.”
York’s Chocolate Story’s shop reopened to the public at 10am today, Friday 23 October, with more activities planned during half term, including the chance to win some amazing prizes at locations across the city.
Gallery
