Chester gets its own special Monopoly edition

The Monopoly: Chester Edition is a localized twist on the classic board game - featuring more than 30 iconic landmarks.

It includes the Roman Walls, the Cathedral and the Racecourse - with Chester Zoo as the top-ranking spot.

The city’s most visited tourist attraction replaces ‘Mayfair’ from the game’s classic London original (price to buy in the game: £400).

It's hoped this edition will allow residents and visitors to celebrate the city's rich history and modern attractions.

The game’s makers describe the board as “a celebration of everything Chester, from Roman times to present times.”

The Lord Mayor of Chester, Councillor Razia Daniels, says: "It's a true honour for Chester to have its very own edition.

"This iconic game brings people together, and with our city's rich history and vibrant community, it's fitting to have our landmarks and charities featured.”

Jamie Christon, CEO of Chester Zoo, says: “To be featured on this incredibly special Chester Edition, dedicated to the wonderful city of Chester, is a real honour for Chester Zoo.

"It is a unique way to highlight our globally important wildlife charity and celebrate our connection to our local community.

"We hope this will inspire players to learn more about the incredible species we care for and the crucial work we do to prevent extinction.”

Yasmin East, Custom Games Executive at Winning Moves UK, says: “We have been absolutely spoilt with choices when putting this board together.

"We produce this official game based on places all over the world, including in recent years, Palm Beach, Dubai, Phuket and The Hamptons.

"Now Chester has joined the world’s elite!"

The game is themed in sets from tourism to heritage, shopping to entertainment and more - all to reflect "the history and vibrancy of the city."

As there are not four main-line Chester train stations to replace the quartet of famous MONOPOLY train station spots, that part of the board has been handed over to a ‘City Gate’ theme.

The collection of archways that appear are: Bridgegate, Newgate, Northgate and Watergate.

Alongside global conservation and education charity, Chester Zoo, several other charities get to be featured in the game, following a nominations process earlier in the year.

These include The Hospice of the Good Shepherd and KidsBank.

In addition to the bespoke squares, the Chance and Community Chest cards are customised too.

One Community Chest card rewards players with money – as ‘compensation’ for being thrown out of the city for ‘being a Welshman entering Chester before sunrise’ (reputedly an age old legend).

Whilst another card fines players for mistaking fog on the River Dee ... for a ghost.

Ms. East added: “The response from the public has been beyond our most optimistic expectations. We would like to thank everyone who suggested landmarks and the wording for the cards.”

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