Corona Virus Update
Corona Virus Update
(updated 2 November 2020)
As Government advice continues to evolve in relation to the coronavirus pandemic, visitors should check in to individual sites’ and attractions’ websites and social media to keep informed on how they are responding to this. Links to our main sites and attractions are given below, as well as other venues of which we are aware.
You will be able to find useful information on the Visit Peak District and Derbyshire website too at www.visitpeakdistrict.com
As you will be aware, we are entering the second period of lockdown on Thursday 5th November and all but essential shops will be closed for a period of four weeks.
Please follow any onsite instructions and whilst out and about along the canal or footpaths, please limit your use of narrow trails and towpaths where 2 metre social distancing may not be possible.
Please use the bins provided, and if these are full or there isn’t a convenient bin, please take your litter home with you. If you are out with your dog, please ensure you have poo bags with you and take the bags home with you.
Please use any designated parking available, and do not park on double yellow lines or grass verges
Cromford area
Both the Working Textile Museum and the Masson Mills Shopping Village are closed until further notice
Cromford Mills is open, except for the Visitor Centre. The mill yard is open, the cafes are open for takeaways and most of the shops are open. The last guided tours will be on Monday 2nd November.
Birdswood remains closed for now.
High Peak Junction @DerbyshireCountryside
Takeaway refreshments are being served and toilets are now open with additional cleaning in place.
Facilities that remain closed include:
- hire of all-terrain mobility scooters or ‘trampers’
- events cancelled from April until the end of August 2020
If visiting please use our sites responsibly, make good use of the space available and follow social distancing guidelines. Limit your use of narrow trails and towpaths which impact the 2 metre guidance. Please take any litter and dog poo bags home with you as bin collections on our site will be less frequent than usual.
Leawood Pumphouse has cancelled Steaming dates until further notice.
Lumsdale Valley and Waterfalls
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and concerns for public safety in the Lumsdale Valley, it is with regret that the Arkwright Society, with support from Matlock Town Council, has to announce that it is unable to allow general public access to the Lumsdale Valley ruins and waterfalls until further notice. The recent relaxation of the lockdown measures has led to unprecedented levels of visitor activity to this beautiful valley. Due to its natural limitations, social distancing is impossible to maintain for visitors and local residents and therefore in the best interests of all, public access to the waterfalls will not be possible until safe to do so. We request that visitors do not travel to the site as parking and access will not be available. The Arkwright Society, its wonderful local volunteers and supporters have worked hard to try and maintain safe access to the area, but public safety for visitors and residents must be our primary concern at these difficult times. The situation will be reviewed should circumstances change.
Cromford Village
Many of the restaurants, cafes, galleries and independent shops are now open in Cromford Village. Shoppers will be required to wear face coverings when in stores.
Belper Area
Belper Town Centre
Belper will have a phased re-opening of more shops and businesses beginning from the 15 June.
Preparations are underway with signage advising shoppers where pavements have been diverted to allow people to maintain social distancing and move around safely. Where footways are narrow pedestrians are recommended to ‘Walk on the Left Where Possible’ to create a one-way system and maintain a good pedestrian flow.
Shoppers will need to wear facecoverings when in stores. Shoppers may need to wait outside individual shops, where restrictions are in place, and some business may open by appointment in order to keep you safe.
At all times shoppers must follow social distancing guidelines, not to congregate in groups larger than those permitted and to keep pavements clear.
In busy places, pavement signs will help to make it clear where people should queue and wait to enter shops and to assist shoppers and maintain safe social distancing. Some seating may be restricted and food and drink should not be consumed on public seating to reduce the risk of spreading infection.
Amber Valley Borough Council has been working with a number of town centre retailers to establish what assistance they might need in managing queuing outside their stores. The intention is to create safe queuing areas and pedestrian flows in those areas.
Retailers will also be implementing Covid Secure Measures to keep you safe. Retailers will require shoppers to wear a face covering when in store and will be taking additional steps to manage the goods which have been handled.
Residents are encouraged to walk or cycle wherever possible and consider visiting the town centres at quieter times. Some stores may be opening limited times or offering a ‘pre-order and collect or appointment only’ service, so it could pay to check in advance.
Contactless payment is preferred at the Council’s Pay & Display Car Parks. Amber Valley residents are reminded to use their Resident’s Parking Permit, which entitles them to park for free in most car parks after 4pm or upgrade to an enhanced permit at a cost of £4 to benefit from free parking after 2pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays and free town centre parking on Sundays. Find out more about this here: https://www.ambervalley.gov.uk/roads-and-parking/parking/residents-and-business-parking/
Strutt’s North Mill @belpermill
Strutt’s North Mill Museum will be closed until February 2021.
Fleet Arts @FleetArts
Fleet Arts has now re-opened.
Strutts centre have been able to welcome a gradually increasing number of groups back into their building.
At this moment in time, they’ve been able to safely accommodate a few carefully managed, limited activities, typically on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday during the week. This remains entirely dependent upon the guidelines in operation at the time and is therefore subject to alteration as new announcements are made.
As they continue to adapt and adhere to the current guidelines regarding the classification and size of groups permitted to gather, they are constantly monitoring the changing situation.
Understandably, these restrictions, together with much reduced volunteer cover to call upon, and COVID Tier 1 guidelines generally, does mean that unfortunately, not all bookings are able to be accepted. They recognise that this will cause disappointment and they will do everything they can to accommodate as many requests as they are safely able to do, for as long as they can.
During this cautious opening period they sincerely appreciate your patience and understanding as they negotiate this unprecedented situation and the challenges it continues to present.
For more details regarding future bookings or any other information, please email us at Reception@strutts.org.uk or telephone 01773 599993.
There are no tours of the Windmill and also the Tractor and Bike days, Cobweb day and Santa Day, but Heage Windmill will continue to sell flour at the Windmill and also at Bakewell Farmers’ Market.
Heage Windmill dates (all Saturdays, 10am to 1pm): 10th October, 14th November, 12th December, 9th January, 13th February, 13th March
Bakewell Farmers’ Market dates (all Saturdays, 9am to 2pm): 31st October, 28th November, 19th December, 30th January, 27th February, 27th March
Derby Area
Darley Abbey
Many of the shops and cafes are now re-opening in Darley Abbey. Shoppers are required to wear facecoverings when in store.
The Quad is now open – read more about how they are now ‘Good to Go’ here
Derby Museum and Art Gallery, Pickford’s House will close to the public from 5pm on Wednesday 4 November until the second lockdown ends.
The Silk Mill is closed for redevelopment at the current time and is expected to open in spring 2021.
Royal Crown Derby Museum is now open. They are opening Monday to Friday 10-4 (last admission 3.30). All visitors will be required to wear a face covering. Hand sanitiser is available throughout the store and museum. The refreshed museum shares some of the best stories behind Royal Crown Derby and is free to visit. You can see the beautiful work of troubled artist William Pegg and admire the skill of Desire Leroy one of the most well paid ceramic painters. You can also explore how they design and make Royal Crown Derby today and get to know some of the people behind the products past and present. There is also a small onsite shop selling Royal Crown Derby giftware and displaying the stunning tableware ranges to order for home delivery.
Transport
From Monday 15th June it is a requirement that you wear masks or face coverings when using public transport.
To reduce the transmission of Coronavirus, the government has advised people to avoid non-essential use of public transport when possible.
To enable bus operators to cope with reduced staff availability, and because of greatly reduced numbers of passengers, many bus services in Derbyshire will be running to temporary timetables during the Coronavirus emergency.
As the situation may change frequently and at short notice, intending passengers are strongly advised to check operators’ websites. These websites will be the most frequently updated and most reliable sources of information.
Derwent Valley Line –
Matlock, Derby Nottingham line – From Monday 26 October 2020 the Service will run a reduced timetable with a train every 2 hours (between 0930 and 1530 on weekdays) rather than normal hourly service. For latest information on travelling on the Derwent Valley Line see, including any changes to the weekend timetable:
https://www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/
Derby Bus station has now re-opened.
For Trent Barton Buses timetable see: https://news.derby.gov.uk/trent-barton-announce-reduced-service-timetables/
Please email info@derwentvalleymills.org if you have any updates on your venues to be included here.
Great Place Scheme
All Great Place Scheme events which were scheduled to take place until the end of the year have also been postponed.
If you aren’t getting out and about yet, our wonderful World Heritage Site can still be visited virtually – keep an eye on our Facebook ,Twitter and Instagram feeds or visit our YouTube channel.
You can enjoy some online activities and videos on our Derwent Valley Mills at Home Page here
Many thanks and keep safe.
The DVMWHS Co-ordinating Team
