OLD met new in York when Roman soldiers from the city's ancient past surveyed the £4 million reality of its 21st Century future.

The scene was the Royal York Hotel, the site of an important archaeological find last year, when the skeletal remains of eight people from Roman times and accompanying Third Century artefacts were found.

That excavation was funded by Royal York owners Principal Hotels, who are now celebrating their ultra-modern £2.5 million conference and event centre, with its striking semi-circular glass roof.

More than 50 jobs are expected to be created by the centre, which will offer world class conference facilities, 3,000 square feet of space with capacity for 400 delegates, and 250 seated for dinner, and a state of the art interactive "media wall".

And the hotel will also have a new £1.5 million on-site leisure club plus access to its four-star accommodation.

A covered walkway will link the old and new parts of the hotel. A new entrance near the existing Mews annexe to the hotel will provide a ramped access down into the conference hall from the outside.

The architects, Merrell O'Flaherty, were inspired by York's nearby Victorian railway station, and based their blueprint on the old "roundhouse" railway sheds.

The central drum of the conference centre allows natural daylight to shine through a shuttered panel, which can be closed at the flick of a switch to darken rooms for slide or video presentations.

Managing director Tony Troy said: "Strategic acquisitions and disposals together with a high level of investment have streamlined the Principal Hotels portfolio, and from this very firm base we will continue to develop a stronger and even more profitable group during what we expect to be one of the group's most exciting periods."

The new facilities are due to open in August.