Blenheim Palace to Re-open Park and

Gardens as Soon as Possible 

Blenheim Palace has confirmed it will re-open its park and gardens to visitors as soon as it can subject to government advice.

A significant part of the Oxfordshire UNESCO World Heritage Site's parkland has remained freely accessible to local communities during lockdown to provide people with a safe area to walk and exercise. 

However, the Palace, the Pleasure Gardens and the Formal Gardens were all closed in March. 

While the Palace itself is expected to remain off limits for longer, much of the Pleasure Gardens and the Formal Gardens, along with additional areas of parkland, would be re-opened to visitors. 

“We recognise the crucial importance of Blenheim to the wider economy of the area and we look forward to being among the first tier of places to visit to begin to re-open in a truly safe way,” said Blenheim CEO Dominic Hare. 

“Throughout lockdown we have continued to make large sections of the Estate's parkland safely accessible to local people. 

“We have comprehensive plans in place to start to re-open properly when advised by the government that we can, even though this kind of limited re-opening is likely to be loss-making. 

“Under normal circumstances, our visitors would be spending in the region of £4m outside of our gates each month, and well over 2,000 jobs are supported by our activities. 

“That level of lost revenue is hugely significant to surrounding businesses and the sooner we can start working together to get the local economy moving again the better,” he added. 

As part of any re-opening plan, Blenheim Palace would initially operate at a significantly reduced capacity, with a cap on daily visitor levels and all entry to be via pre-paid, online bookings. 

Social distancing measures would be in place and trained staff on hand throughout to offer help and advice to visitors. 

Additional facilities and significantly increased hygiene procedures would also be made available including individual washing and toilet areas as well as 'contactless' catering options. 

For more information please contact Steph Duncan on 07881 356 736 or at SDuncan@blenheimpalace.com or Drew Cunliffe at drew@flamingo-marketing.co.uk . 

About Blenheim Palace 

Home to the Dukes of Marlborough since 1704, the Oxfordshire Estate was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987. 

Set in over 2,000 acres of 'Capability' Brown landscaped parkland and designed by Vanbrugh in the Baroque style, it was financed by Queen Anne, on behalf of a grateful nation, following the first Duke of Marlborough's triumph over the French in the War of the Spanish Succession. 

At the time the victory was hailed as the greatest British military success since Agincourt.

Blenheim Palace is also the birthplace of one of Britain's most famous leaders, Sir Winston Churchill and it was his father who described the vista on entering the Estate from the village of Woodstock as the 'finest view in England'.