Abbey Church and all facilities are now closed until further notice

To help you feel safe we have: 
-    One way-systems where appropriate. Although our grounds are quite open, we have one way systems and queuing markers for our shop, restaurant (take away only Thursday-Sunday), Abbey Church and at the main pedestrian entrance
-    Introduced additional outdoor seating.
-    Appropriate signage, informing and explaining key messages
-    Sanitising points as you enter and leave buildings
-    Enhanced cleaning of our public toilets, located in the car park and below the Grange Restaurant
-    Introduced table service in our restaurant ('Track & Trace' required) and an outside take away counter
-    Set a maximum number of visitors we can welcome safely at one time at 200 across the site. We will be reviewing this number over the days and weeks ahead to reflect government guidance and to ensure we are all safe.
-    Met with our staff ahead of opening and updated them with any necessary guidance
-    Increased the amount of customer facing staff

There are some facilities normally available to visitors which are currently closed…
The Monastic Way Exhibition
The Book Shop and Monastic Produce Shop
The Medieval Guesthall
Monastery Guestquarters and Southgate Retreat Centre
St Cuthbert’s Conference Centre

The following Masses will be celebrated with a congregation in the Buckfast Abbey Parish:    

The seating capacity is limited by the necessity of maintaining social distancing.  Therefore it will be necessary to book your place at each Mass you wish to attend.
 According to Church and Government regulations, if the maximum number of either households or people is reached, no-one else may be admitted to the Church, so if you turn up without booking, you must be prepared to be disappointed.

Book Mass Seating

Things to bear in mind in deciding whether to attend Mass:
 -Track & Trace details are required
 -Face coverings must be worn
 -People who feel unwell, especially those who have symptoms of COVID-19, must not attend church.
 -Toilet facilities will not be available except at the time of the 12.05 p.m. Mass at the Abbey.
 -Seating will be allocated by the stewards so that social distancing of 2 metres is maintained at all times.
 -It is essential that you use the hand sanitiser which will be offered to you as you enter the church
 -By order of the Bishop, Holy Communion must be received in the hand while standing.

Live streaming of Holy Mass and the Divine Office will continue as at present.

Abbey Church and all facilities are now closed until further notice

When we reopen, to help you feel safe we have:

-    A one-way system, with signage and barriers
-    Sanitising points on entry and exit
-    A regular cleaning system for frequently touched surfaces. We will suspend entry to the Abbey Church for regular periods through the day to do this
-    Moved and restricted some seating
-    Set a maximum number of visitors in the Church and at Mass
-    Marked a socially distanced queue outside
-  A room near the Abbey is available to shelter in if it is raining
-    Additional church stewards are present to assist you, answer questions you may have and make you feel safe
-    Our toilets (around the grounds, not the Church) are being cleaned more regularly
-    Removed the Holy Water*
-    Temporarily suspended the use of votive candles*

* We have not taken these steps lightly but the risk of spreading COVID-19 in these practises is just too great. Additionally, there is a fire risk from the use of alcoholic gel which we are particularly concerned about.

Abbey Church and all facilities are now closed until further notice

When we reopen, to help you feel safe we have:

Track and Trace – we require all our customers to use the track and trace system (not necessary at takeaway counter)
Face Coverings – we require all customers to wear a face covering unless seated at your table.
Cashless Payment – We are only accepting Contactless and card payments at the moment.
Social Distancing Measures – social distancing measures still apply and we will ask our teams and customers to follow the latest guidance provided.
Covered Outside Seating – Can be accessed through the restaurant
Cleaning – touchpoints are frequently cleaned and sanitised by the team, every 30 minutes.
Handwashing  – our teams are washing their hands every 30 minutes.
Perspex screens – have been installed on our counters to make sure our team and customers are as safe as possible.
Customer flow – we’ve taken some special steps to help maintain social distancing, we ask you kindly to follow the one-way system using the separate entry and exit to help with the customer flow.

The Gift Shop & Monastic Shop

Abbey Church and all facilities are now closed until further notice

 The safety of our visitors and staff are of paramount importance to us so we have made many changes to ensure the shop is safe for all. For the time being the Bookshop will remain closed. However if you require any items from the Bookshop a designated member of staff will be happy to get it for you.

Abbey Church and all facilities are now closed until further notice

Toilets 
Enhanced cleaning of our public toilets, located in the car park and below the Grange Restaurant. Currently Closed

Dogs 
Dogs are not permitted on site with the exception of registered assistance ones.

On Site First Aid
First aid cover is provided by Alliance Pioneer Group during opening hours. Visitors requiring first aid will be treated by personnel wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment: masks, gloves, apron etc. Family and other household members will not be able to accompany the first aider when treatment is taking place. Currently Closed