A new and innovative café experience is set to open in Cirencester, where both adults and children can operate diggers and excavate dinosaur fossils. The Dig, a female-founded attraction, will feature two large indoor construction pits, a hands-on dinosaur fossil excavation zone, and a café, making it the UK’s first venue dedicated to both diggers and dinosaurs.
Visitors will have the chance to take control of realistic, radio-controlled excavators, dump trucks, and other construction machinery, providing an engaging experience beyond typical children’s play. Founded by Catherine Winterburn and Bethyn Barrass, the latter brings extensive expertise in live events and experiential attractions through her company, Valhalla Entertainments T/A Odin Events, based in Wiltshire.
Bethyn’s experience includes delivering family activations, seasonal attractions, and themed experiences across the UK, alongside involvement in well-known events such as The Flight Before Christmas at Cotswold Airport. Now, this background is being applied to create a permanent attraction within Cirencester’s shopping hub, The Woolmarket.
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Each of the two construction pits can accommodate up to 10 drivers simultaneously, allowing 20 visitors to operate machinery during 30-minute sessions. Participants can excavate sand, load dump trucks, transport materials, and engage with construction challenges within a fully themed environment.
In addition to the construction experience, visitors can try their hand at palaeontology in The Dig’s dinosaur fossil excavation activity. Young archaeologists will use excavation tools and brushes to uncover dinosaur fossils buried beneath the sand, offering another immersive experience for families.
After the activities, visitors can unwind in The Dig Café, which serves locally sourced coffee, teas, cold drinks, cakes, and baked goods. The café highlights regional products, including coffee roasted in Cirencester by Fire & Flow and apple juice pressed locally in Malmesbury, emphasizing a commitment to local suppliers.
Co-founder Bethyn explained, “I’ve spent years working in events and creating experiences where the environment is just as important as the activity itself. Through my work with Odin Events, I’ve been involved in a range of family attractions and immersive themed experiences. With The Dig, Cath and I wanted to build somewhere permanent that truly transports visitors to a construction site, thanks to detailed theming and realistic machinery. And then we added dinosaurs because, frankly, construction machinery and dinosaurs are a winning combination.”
Catherine added, “We aimed to create a place that appeals to the whole family. Although it’s geared towards families, The Dig isn’t a traditional children’s play venue. Many parents and grandparents are just as excited to take control of the diggers as the children. Every aspect of the visit, from the construction and dinosaur experiences to the café and overall theme, is designed to make visitors feel they’ve stepped into a unique environment.”
The founders also note the significance of two women launching a business centred on excavators, dump trucks, construction sites, and dinosaurs.
While the radio-controlled machinery requires some coordination, children around four or five years old and upwards can participate with support from staff. Younger visitors can explore the dinosaur excavation area, and adults are encouraged to try operating the construction equipment themselves.
Entry to The Dig is free. Adults accompanying children who are not participating in an experience do not need to purchase a ticket, and visitors are welcome to enjoy the café without booking an activity. Experience tickets start at £8.
This pricing structure supports the founders’ goal to create an inclusive venue where families can spend quality time together without every member needing to buy a ticket.
The Dig will open on 19 October at 7 The Woolmarket, Cirencester, close to Waterloo Car Park and within easy walking distance of the town centre. Bookings are now open.