Arundel Castle reveals first plans for 2021
Arundel Castle in West Sussex has announced it plans to reopen on Thursday 01 April 2021, in time for the Easter bank holiday weekend, following its annual winter closure on Sunday 01 November 2020.
The spring reopening will allow visitors to enjoy the famous Annual Tulip Festival, when record-breaking numbers of the colourful flowers bloom throughout the gardens and grounds.
The gift shop and catering will be part of next year’s offer, with plans to open up more of the Castle interior to visitors. This year, social distancing has permitted visitors to see the gardens, the Regency Library, Baron’s Hall, a view of the Grand Staircase and the Dining Room and Drawing Room.
Castle Manager Stephen Manion commented: “Our efforts are focused on providing the best possible visitor experience next year, responding to all the restrictions, guidelines and developments as appropriate to keep our staff and visitors safe.
“Bringing history to life is what we love to do, and we want to assure our visitors that we are doing all that we can to plan for a safe and exciting 2021 open season.
“We would like to say a big thank you to everyone that has supported Arundel Castle throughout the pandemic by visiting and interacting with us; we will keep you as informed as possible as we continue to plan ahead for what we hope will be an enjoyable open season for the entire family.”
Each winter, the Castle closes to undergo routine maintenance and restoration work that preserves its history for generations to come. It usually reopens in April, shortly before the first blooms of the Annual Tulip Festival, with plans for 2021 set to stay true to tradition.
With reopening subject to government guidelines, Arundel Castle will announce further details of its visitor experience in early 2021.
In the meantime, those interested in seeing video highlights from the 2020 open season can visit www.arundelcastle.org for virtual tours of the gardens, the Annual Tulip Festival and more.