The world famous Eden Project visitor attraction in Cornwall has reopened after a 75-day lockdown which has cost it £5million.
Bosses at the environmental charity, famous for its extensive collection of plants and giant domed glass Biomes, said they can't wait to see visitors come through the doors once more after a crippling three-month closure due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Eden Project has been closed to visitors since March 22, when the lockdown was first announced by the Government. The charity said it had lost £5million in revenues due to the drop in ticket sales as all attractions around the country were shut down overnight.
It also had to postpone its popular Eden Sessions music events, which included concerts by My Chemical Romance, Lionel Richie, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Script and Diana Ross.
Five hundred staff were placed on furlough at the attraction, near St Austell, while four gardeners remained on site to look after the millions of exotic plants.
According to Emmie Kell, Cornwall Museums Partnership chief executive, the cultural sector is one of the most affected by pandemic. But, despite losing out on millions of pounds in revenue, Eden bosses always said they were confident the attraction could recover.
Staff worked hard on implementing social distancing and other safety measures to make Eden safe and reopen once restrictions for tourist attractions were lifted.
And, on Saturday, June 6, it finally open its outdoor gardens to the public. Access to the 30-acre gardens is currently free for NHS and care workers. But the Rainforest and Mediterranean Biomes and The Core education centre are still closed to visitors until the project can reopen all areas, with July 4 set as a provisional date for that.
Since June 6, visitor numbers have been limited to a maximum of 1,250 per day. This is around a third of the number expected on an equivalent day in previous summers and will be reviewed in the weeks to follow.
New cleaning schedules have been introduced and protective screens and barriers put in place. All staff working at Eden have received training on safety protocols and where necessary staff will wear personal protective equipment (PPE). As an extra safety measure, the site is largely cash-free and rely on online, card and contactless payments.
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David Harland, executive director of the Eden Project, said: “These have been difficult times for everyone but it is great news that we can start the process of waking up Eden so we can offer a space for people to be in nature, connecting with the wider world around them in a safe environment.
“We will be acting on Government guidelines very closely and will be keeping everyone updated on our further plans, including the eventual reopening of the Biomes, which we hope will be on July 4."
The Eden Project team also said the comments received by some of the first visitors to come through the doors in three months had been truly "heart-warming".
A spokesperson said: "The Eden team has been so happy to reopen our great outdoors and welcome visitors after 75 days closed. Numbers were steady over the weekend and we have had a heart-warming response from those who have visited."
