Don’t miss out on Ottery St Mary’s best loved bonfire night activity, if you’re planning to experience the magic this year, here’s everything you need to know for a great night out!

For the uninitiated, the Ottery Tar Barrel event has taken place for generations and is one of the remaining events of its kind in the UK. Every year, villagers carry flaming tar barrels through the streets culminating in a giant bonfire. The evening starts at 7pm on Saturday, 5th November.

The Carnival Committee, which runs the event, has said that visitors should be aware that mobile phone signal can be intermittent and that there is still a risk of Covid-19 and the event isn’t suitable for small children, animals or people with limited mobility.

There are toilets available in the car park near Sainsbury’s and it is recommended that visitors wear sensible clothes and footwear. On 5th November, there will be no vehicle access to Ottery St Mary and no parking available other than the below, there will be diversions in place, so please allow plenty of time for travelling. Stagecoach buses will be stopping at Salston Cross, with times confirmed nearer the event, you can keep up to date with public transport information for the Tar Barrels here.

Car parks that will be open for the event are as follows:

Barrack Road, B3174.
Access is available from the Daisy Mount exit of the A30 and will be open from 4pm on 5th November.

Ottery St Mary Cricket Club, Strawberry Lane
There will be a limited amount of space here, with access only from  Barrack Road.

Finnimore Industrial Estate
In the event of wet weather, this car park will be available. Otherwise, there are only disabled parking options here.

Otter Nurseries, Gosford Road.
This will also be the main coach park and all access from the A30 will be via the B3177, Alfington.

In order for the event to go ahead, there will be several road closures and diversions in place.

The following roads will be closed between 5pm and 1am on 5th November:

Exeter Road
Barrack Road
Cadhay Lane
Fairmile Lane
Hind Street to Pitt Farm
Pitt Farm to mile Inn
Strawberry Lane
West Hill Road
Mill Street
Canaan Way
Hind Street
Broad Street
Silver Street
The Flexton
Cornhill
Paternoster Row
Gold Street
Tip Hill
Millcroft
Higher Spring Gardens
Gosford Road
Bandarrock Road
Toadpitt Lane
Claremont Field
Throne Farm Way
Hansford Way
Elliot Close
Godfrey Close
Ferguson Close
Taylor Close

 

For the latest information, please visit the Tar Barrels website here.