Former shop could become fun family lounge at York station

A new indoor space with a play castle, beach-like seating booths, acoustic trees and train driving apps has been designed for a former shop on the station concourse.

LNER want to turn an empty unit - formerly a convenience store - into an accessible and fun family-friendly waiting area.

The plans mirror a similar scheme which LNER built at King's Cross station in London which the train operator says has been a success.

Details of the plan are outlined in the Design, Access and Heritage Support Statement sent to planners in York.

Under the scheme for York, the new family lounge would have a play castle designed to mimic the appearance of York's historic bar walls, interactive activity play panels, including electronic tablets with train driving apps.

Artist's impression of new Family Waiting Room at York Railway Station. Image - from planning documents

There would be a specially-commissioned video about the history of the railways and a wall mural of York landmark and landscapes.

The design statement says the aim of the plans are to make York station - which had almost nine million passenger movements in 2022/23 - "a more welcoming and customer friendly facility".

It states: "The project’s focus is on travel and education and the intent is to provide interactive areas where families and more specifically children can part-take in activities and have access to information that will further educate them about the history of York Railway Station and the British railways whilst providing a safe and secure waiting area where families can wait in comfort for their trains.

"Inspiration for the scheme has been taken from nature, British landscape and the City of York itself. Our design features beach hut and boulder seats taking inspiration from coastal areas, acoustic trees and a play castle inspired by York City Walls. Whilst the seating area was inspired by historic train carriages which reflected in the choice of seating and colour scheme."

Empty former store unit at York Railway station earmarked for the new Family Waiting Room. Image - from planning documents

Plans build on the success of LNER's Family Lounge at King's Cross.

"The proposed new Family Lounge is designed with similar principles from the King's Cross Family Waiting Lounge opened in 2022," says the design statement. "This Family Lounge has received positive reviews from passengers and travellers passing through King's Cross Station. The success and popularity of King's Cross has encouraged LNER to provide a similar facility at York Station and other stations."

As reported in The Press, LNER opened its Family Lounge at King's Cross in October 2022. Located on the main concourse next to the Travel Centre, the Family Lounge includes beach huts with table-top games, a soft play area and a bespoke designed Hornby train set. There is also a heritage wall featuring items that have been donated by York's National Railway Museum, as well as video content from LNER’s ‘In the driver’s seat’ series.

York Railway Station is a Grade II-listed building and the plans will have minimum impact on the historic fabric of the building, says the applicant.

The statement says: "The existing room has a limited amount of historical features remaining compared to other areas of the station. There are no mouldings to the existing ceiling or dado rails to the internal walls."

To view the application (ref: 24/01110/LBC) visit: planningaccess.york.gov.uk.

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