Historic Painshill in Surrey has reopened its gates to its members and the public as lockdown begins to ease.
The 158-acre landscaped gardens in Cobham closed in March because of the pandemic but is now able to welcome visitors again with social distancing procedures in place.
The park, which is run by a small, independent trust, had feared that it wouldn’t survive the closure and appealed to its members and the public for donations. Now it is hoped that people will return to boost its strained funds.
Director Paul Griffiths said: “It’s important, now more than ever, for people to support us during this time. The two months we were closed have put a real strain on our finances, so we urge people to come along and enjoy our amazing park.
“The team here are working hard to ensure that social distancing rules are met, with yellow floor markers in place when entering and exiting the grounds.
“The tearoom will be open for takeaway refreshments or visitors can bring their own picnic to enjoy in the grounds.
“Unfortunately, we do need to keep the grotto, upper floors of the Gothic Tower and the gift shop closed for the time being but hope to be able to reopen them again in the near future.”
To visit Painshill, bookings must be made online in advance with different time slots available. Exceptions for this are Painshill members and those who hold Historic Houses or Gardener’s World cards.
For further information on the opening, please visit: https://www.painshill.co.uk/visiting-painshill-covid-19-pandemic/
