Cathedrals on roadmap to recovery

English Cathedrals are preparing to open their doors again slowly and safely in line with the Government’s road map to recovery.

Roadmap: Opening cathedrals in the plan and on the horizon

Every Cathedral has been awarded the Good to Go industry standard by Visit Britain and every Cathedral is working hard to follow the latest Public Health and Government guidelines to keep people safe.

Durham Cathedral opened yesterday (13th April) for daily congregational worship inside the cathedral subject to social distancing and other safety measures.

A number of services will be open to the public in person (and offered online in most cases)

Prior booking is encouraged for the Sunday Holy Communion services. Booking details are available on the cathedral website.

The Very Reverend, Andrew Tremlett, Dean of Durham said:

“We remain cautiously optimistic that from 12 April we can welcome people back in person to Durham Cathedral to join us in worshipping God and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, as well as continuing to do so digitally.

“Worship and sharing our rich Christian heritage remain at the heart of cathedral life and we look forward to welcoming members of the congregation back to the church in a safe and controlled way.”

Winchester opened its Cathedral Café for takeaway this week, and outdoor seating is now available in the garden and open-air terrace. The Cathedral gift shop opened today too and the Cathedral is looking forward to opening its doors to visitors once again to explore its rich heritage following Government guidance that indoor visitor attractions can re-open from the 17th of May.

Winchester’s Chief Operating Officer, Alison Evans says:

“We are delighted to be re-opening more of our facilities to visitors in the coming weeks. The team is excited to welcome people back so that they can enjoy the heritage of the building and its rich history, which makes Winchester Cathedral so unique and special. We have always been committed to delivering an exceptional visitor experience and great care has been taken to ensure everyone’s safety.”

Other cathedral shops that have re-opened physically this week include Chester, Bury St Edmunds, and St Albans.

All our cathedral websites can be found here and all their social media channels.

Please check individual cathedral websites for up to date information about opening hours, availability of public worship, and times for private prayer and reflection.