Vikings routed again as adventure centre closes

It's taken over 1000 years, but the Vikings have been routed again. Dublin Tourism has put up the shutters on Dublin's Viking Adventure in the heart of medieval Dublin.

Established in 1996 under a licence from Temple Bar Properties, the centre provided an opportunity to travel back in time and experience the way of living in Viking Dublin.

Actors were used to recreate the sounds, smells and daily way of Viking life. Artefacts were displayed, a street paved and a house recreated in what was once the Church of SS Michael and John's, which itself had been installed within the shell of the mid-17th century Smock Alley Theatre. The interactive experience even involved visitors sitting into a boat to experience the Viking journey south along high seas.

Temple Bar Properties is now in the process of assessing applications for a change of use for the 25,000 sq ft premises, which has access from both Essex Quay and Lower Exchange Street .

Dublin Tourism manager Frank Magee is putting a brave face on things. He blames September 11th for the closure, with tourism from the US to Dublin down 25 per cent.

"With the projections we had, it wasn't possible to keep it going as a sustainable development. It's the only museum using live actors to make it a living experience so operation costs were exceptionally high." Staff rose to 30 in high season.

Dublin Tourism is obliged to keep afloat on the basis of receipts, so keeping the centre opened could no longer be justified, he said. "We had a good five years. It did work well for the time we were there but the National Museum in Kildare Street also has a Viking exhibition." The artefacts have reverted to the museum.

The impetus behind Viking Adventure was its proximity to the archaeological excavations at Wood Quay, considered the most important Viking remains outside of Scandinavia. An estimated £4 million was spent on developing the project with half of that being provided by the EU and the other £2 million by the State.

The Norwegian oil company Statoil provided some sponsorship for the first three years of the project. The Dublin project was more ambitious than similar centres internationally, such as Jorvik in York, because live actors were used.

Frank Magee estimates that about 80,000 people visited the centre every year, with 30 per cent local, 30 per cent from the UK and US visitors accounting for much of the rest.

The development was initially dogged with controversy. Three sets of buildings were redeveloped for the project, including two schools. The interior of the early 19th century church, a uniquely purpose-built Roman Catholic Church, was renovated. The property included the former parochial house, which was a five-bay Georgian building, now operating as a language school. An Taisce was active in the campaign to salvage something of the interior and managed to save most of the Regency Gothic ceiling.

However, the gallery was dismantled and replaced with an intermediate floor, which was intended for use for Viking banquets. The ground floor was excavated down to the crypt.

Other suggestions for the church had been to use it as a music centre. Now the latest tendering process for new tenants is at the midway stage. The general manager of Temple Bar Properties, Tambra Dillon, says plans are to find something which will tie in with the needs of both the local population as well as with tourism.

Latest trends in Temple Bar have shown that usage by locals in proportion to tourists has risen from 50 per cent to 60 per cent. "We'd like to weatherproof Temple Bar against external forces if we could," she says. "We were happy with the Viking project, especially as it had had its genesis in the archaeolgoical digs at Wood Quay, but a Viking dimension isn't a requirement now.

"We are open to something with an interpretative or cultural remit which will be sensitive to what residents and retailers in the west end of Temple Bar want." She was happy with the Viking Adventure as it was run by Dublin Tourism and disappointed it had to close.

"We'd like to think everything is succeeding but tourism is down and Dublin Tourism has had to have its energy redirected. It was time consuming running the centre and resources have to be managed differently." A rigorous process will be carried out before a final decision is made on a new use for the centre.

"We're very close to being able to shortlist applications," says Dillon. "But we will have a major review process and study finances, context and have a feasibility study.

"Then there will be planning applications needed. It's not going to be 'quick fix' goal. Our aim is to get it right. The occupant who goes in is going to have to be financially sustainable and to offer a viable proposal."

Dillon says there will be no further tampering with the fabric of the church. "Part of our own mandate is to preserve the heritage. The church will take on another life in terms of heritage but its heritage will be maintained. I'm optimistic about the project."

All that is certain just now is that only ghosts will be flitting about SS Michael and St John's Church this coming tourism season.