Carrickfergus Castle visitor figures impacted by Covid restrictions

A total of 99 visitors toured Carrickfergus Castle during the first two weeks of October, a report to Mid and East Antrim’s Borough Growth Committee has stated.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The medieval landmark re-opened to sightseers on October 1 after lockdown and closed again on October 19 for another four weeks as a result of further restrictions due to Covid.

Groups were restricted to 10 people per tour to allow for social distancing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The report also indicated that refurbishment works at the castle’s visitor information centre are now completed. It was refurbished to include a purpose-built reception desk and improved refreshment,  retail and seating areas.

Carrickfergus Castle.Carrickfergus Castle.
Carrickfergus Castle.

Meanwhile, the Andrew Jackson Centre at Boneybefore, Carrickfergus, remains closed due to Covid restrictions.

Museum staff in Carrickfergus worked with Carrickfergus and District Historical Society to facilitate a book launch by author Sean MacIntyre. The book is entitled ‘Forgotten Service: The Story of the Greenisland and Carrickfergus Home Guard’. Read here

Funding of £28,079 has been awarded for a lighting upgrade at Carrickfergus Museum. It will be provided by the Department for Communities Access and Inclusion Programme.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Larne Museum and Arts Centre has received £7,000 for improvements to an accessible entrance.

Andrew Jackson Centre, at Boneybefore, outside Carrickfergus.Andrew Jackson Centre, at Boneybefore, outside Carrickfergus.
Andrew Jackson Centre, at Boneybefore, outside Carrickfergus.

According to Tourism Northern Ireland’s visitor attitude survey published earlier this year, Carrickfergus Castle is Mid and East Antrim’s second most popular tourist attraction after The Gobbins in Islandmagee. The castle welcomed 48,872 sightseers between April 2019 and January 2020 despite renovations to the roof of the Great Tower which were completed at a cost of £1m. There were 456 visitors to the medieval fortress in January.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter

--

Thank you for reading this article. We’re more reliant on your support than ever as the shift in consumer habits brought about by coronavirus impacts our advertisers.

Please consider purchasing a copy of the paper. You can also support trusted, fact-checked journalism by taking out a digital subscription of the News Letter.