What’s set to reopen following second national ‘lockdown’

Published: 27 November 2020

With the country coming out of its second national lockdown on Wednesday (2 December) and Exeter moving into Tier 2 restrictions, people in the city will be wanting to know which City Council facilities and services will be open.

From Wednesday 2 December the following will reopen:

• Skate parks and tennis courts

From Thursday 3 December, all City-Council-run leisure centres will reopen to members only, who will need to book activities in advance. Exeter’s Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery will also reopen on Thursday with a free but ticketed-only admission system being operated. For further information go to rammuseum.org.uk/entrytickets

The following services stayed open during the second national ‘lockdown’ and remain open now:

• All City Council-run car parks (the multi-storey section of Mary Arches Street Car Park remains closed while demand is low but will reopen if required in future)
• Customer Service Centre, Paris Street – open for homelessness enquiries and emergency homelessness issues only
• Parks (including Valley Parks) and open spaces
• Play areas within these parks
• Allotments (with certain restrictions)
• Cemeteries
• Matford Centre – open for livestock auctions only
• Recycling centres operated by Devon County Council are open but reuse shops remain closed
• Exeter Farmers’ Markets

Exeter Corn Exchange is taking bookings for its Christmas pantomime, Wizard of Oz, which runs from 19 December to 3 January, as well as a welcome return of Exeter Comedy Club for a restricted capacity show on Friday 11 December.  To book tickets visit www.exetercornexchange.co.uk

Exeter’s free Red Coat Guided Tours will start again on Thursday 3 December. Booking is essential at www.exetercornexchange.co.uk

Exeter’s Custom House Visitor Centre will also be reopening on Thursday 3 December. For opening times and visitor restrictions visit www.exeter.gov.uk

Although the above facilities remain open, people are expected to follow government guidelines and maintain social distancing. 

Waste and recycling collections (including brown bin garden waste and bulky waste collections) continue to operate as normal and people are advised to present their bins on their usual collection dates. Recycling bring banks also remain open.

The following facilities remain closed until further notice:

• Exeter’s historic Guildhall
• Underground Passages
• Matford Sunday Market and Car Boot Sale

For more information on Exeter City Council services and for updates go to www.exeter.gov.uk