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Devon's Top Attractions remain open for business

20th March 2020

Categories: Visitor News

Despite ongoing Coronavirus concerns, two thirds of the 35 members of ‘Devon’s Top Attractions’ (the Devon Association of Tourist Attractions) are still open for business this coming weekend, or plan to open by the end of the month and the start of the main season. These attractions will be employing special measures to welcome visitors safely, most of whom will want to get outside into the great outdoors and enjoy themselves.

All the 23 attractions which are open for business have made special arrangements for visitors by restricting access to some closed-in areas, such as buildings and cafes etc, and are employing detailed risk assessments, plus special hygiene and enhanced cleaning measures and washing stations around their sites to help tackle the risk of possible infection. Many of these attractions have bigger, open sites and so are not considered to be subject to some of the Government’s current guidance on social distancing. With schools closing until further notice, many parents, grandparents and carers will probably be looking for safe places to take children and get them out of the house rather than looking at TVs and computers, and many of Devon’s Top Attractions feel they are well placed to provide that ‘safety-valve’ during the Covid 19 crisis.

Currently, the following sites are open:

Babbacombe Model Village
Becky Falls
Bicton Park Botanical Gardnes
Big Sheep
Blackpool Sands
Bygones
Canonteign Falls
Clovelly
Diggerland
Exmoor Zoo
Kents Cavern
Morwellham Quay
Pennywell Farm
Quince Honey Farm
River Dart Country Park
Seaton Tramway
Stuart Line Cruises
Wildwood Escot
Woodland Family Theme Park
World of Country Life.

The following sites have limited or conditional opening.

Buckfast Abbey (part closed)
Castle Drogo (house closed, gardens open)
Crealy Adventure Park (closed as of 17th March, but planning to reopen on 28th March subject to Government guidelines.)
Dartington Crystal (open weekdays only)
Killerton (house closed, gardens open)
Lundy Island (sailing to resume at the end of March, subject to Government guidelines.)

Chair of DATA, Dick Wood, said: "We realise that things may change for our members quickly on a daily basis, but this is a snap-shot picture and list of what all DATA member’s situations are at this time. It shows that more member attractions will be open than closed currently with twelve (12) members either closed, part-closed or with restricted opening days, representing one third of the total membership of 35. DATA plans to keep guests regularly updated so that we have a complete picture for everyone’s benefit, but the information should also be readily available from individual member's websites too.

"Easter is traditionally one of the strongest times for Devon tourism and for our members with the real start of the main season, so we are planning to issue another update early next week to all local media listing what Easter events are going on around the county."