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Senior designer at Lego thinks York is just… magic!

Mon 14 Jan

The Lego Harry Potter Hogwarts Castle at the Potions Cauldron on Shambles. Photographs: Richard McDougall

Mon 14 Jan 2019  @ 8:08am
YorkMix
Business, Shopping

It has to be on the list of dream jobs.

Justin Ramsden is a senior designer at Lego.

He has helped to create a whole range of sets, from a Lego version of the Beatles Yellow Submarine to the Batmobile.

Justin, originally from Darlington and now based in Denmark, also designed the Lego version of Harry Potter’s Diagon Alley.

And earlier this month he visited the real one – or at least the street said to have inspired the people who created the movie version: Shambles.

Not only that he came face-to-face with another of his Lego designs: Hogwarts Castle.

A built version is in the ‘secret’ room at magical Shambles shop the Potions Cauldron. Justin wrote: “2018. The year I helped contribute to tourist attractions around York.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/BsIsdCEHxDb/

‘We were stunned’

Phil Pinder of the Potions Cauldron was chuffed to bits. He told YorkMix:

  • We were stunned to hear Justin had visited York. I am huge fan of all things Lego, and grew up with it as a child.

    I remember watching Justin’s battle on Channel 4 to secure what has to be one of the best jobs in the world.

    To hear he designed the very impressive Hogwarts Castle model that we have on display at The Potions Cauldron, just shows what a great designer he is.

Phil Pinder in the Potions Cauldron

The Lego Hogwarts Castle, which costs £350, is a 6,000-piece replica, complete with towers, turrets, chambers, classrooms and 27 microfigures, including Harry himself. It has been shortlisted for the Toy of the Year Awards.

Phil hopes Justin returns to Shambles soon.

“Hopefully, the next time he visits he will let us know and we can give him the VIP treatment he deserved!”

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