51Âþ»­

The Principal of has said the newly-restored building is 'beyond her expectations'.

Professor Dana Brown has this month moved into her new office on the top floor of the 11th century building, which is now home to 51Âþ»­ Leicester's (51Âþ»­) new, world-class business school.

Over the last year, contractors have carefully brought the former courthouse - which has been disused since 1992 - back into life, restoring its original features and incorporating them into a sophisticated, professional design.

The resulting building is a blend of the historic and the modern, giving LCBS students a unique place to learn, providing the benefits of modern higher education while inspiring them with centuries of history.

Professor Brown said that while she had high expectations for the building, the finished restoration has exceeded them.

She said: "I'm so excited to be in the castle. I can see and walk around in what were before now only plans and ideas.

"There is a real connection to the past throughout but also a sense of a new legacy and that, at its heart is what business is: drawing on the lessons of the past to make a new future."

The exterior of the building has been cleaned up and restored, with fresh coats of paint on the window frames. A new disabled access ramp has been installed on the smaller of the two front entrances.

Through the main entrance a spacious reception area is floored with original tilework, with doorways the former courtrooms on the left and right hand side.

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While one courtroom is still undergoing final touches, the other shows clearly how carefully the restoration has been balanced.

Under a high, vaulted ceiling, the strikingly-lit room is a dramatic teaching and learning space, allowing lecturers to present 'in the round' to an audience seated on the plush re-upholstered benches and watching from the high viewing balcony.

Professor Brown said: "The courtrooms are quite beautiful but they are not the only spaces. The building has many rooms, all with a different feel.

"Together with student and learning spaces, we will be working with a lot of high-profile business clients and we have an executive lounge and boardroom for these purposes.

"But the magic of the building is in how it will bring groups together; students will be able to meet and network with industry clients and this is part of what makes ours a different kind of business school."

The castle will be made open to the public every fourth Sunday and Professor Brown said she hoped LCBS students, who are currently based in 51Âþ»­'s Hugh Aston building, would be able to start using the castle later this month.