The Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne, near Folkestone in Kent, has confirmed that it will remain open for the time being but will introduce new restrictions to keep staff and public safe during the coronavirus alert.
The car park at the site will be open from 9am to 5pm each day, while The Wing, which houses the shop, first floor café and Scramble Experience visitor attraction, will be open from 11am until 3pm.
The Wing will be manned by staff and volunteers who are under 70, have no underlying health issues and who have volunteered to take on the role. Those who do not wish to join the rota will be under no pressure to do so.
“We have always said that access to the Memorial should be 24/7, particularly for the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. That is why we have worked closely with our volunteers and staff to come up with a way of keeping the car park and The Wing open, even though we have had to reduce opening hours slightly,” explained Hon Secretary of the Battle of Britain Memorial Trust Group Captain Patrick Tootal.
The new arrangements will come into place with immediate effect and will be in place until further notice or until official advice is updated. Staff will remain on site until 5pm when the main gates will be closed.
Visitors are asked not to enter The Wing if they are unwell and all visitors must observe the government’s distance guidelines and keep two metres away from staff and volunteers.
“We want people to continue to enjoy the Memorial and we hope they will remember that the Trust receives no public funding. During these difficult times, when revenue has been badly affected, it is more important than ever that people continue to donate generously using the collection boxes around the site,” said Patrick.
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