Know before you go - Oxford Castle & Prison

Know before you go: everything you need to know for your visit to Oxford Castle and Prison

We have re-opened our doors and are ready welcome you back to Oxford Castle and Prison. Your safety and that of your family, as well as our team, is our highest priority. Therefore, with this in mind, we have redesigned our attraction putting social distancing measures in place; this means you can still enjoy a great day out in with us.

In line with new 2021 government policy, all guests must check in to Oxford Castle & Prison via the NHS COVID-19 App. You can download the app here. Please make sure you have the app installed on your mobile device upon arrival.

Our aim is for both you and us to follow both the govement guidelines, and our social etiquette guidelines so your time with us is enjoyable and you can visit with confidence. To find out more, keep reading, click here to download our official company statement, or check out this video:

Video recorded at our sister attraction York’s Chocolate Story. Please note social distancing will be within current government guidelines, which may not necessarily be 2m, and other details mentioned in the video may change at any time.

These are the things we are doing:

Checking in – we have set up an Arrival Zone where you will be met by a member of the team who will talk you through the safety measures and offer you hand sanitiser.
Reduced capacity – we have reduced the number of people we are taking on each tour from 22 to no more than 16 (split accross 4 seperate household groups), this will ensure you have an enjoyable experience with confidence.
Signage, screens and floor markings – we have installed new safety signage and marked out social distancing throughout the attraction. For our team we have installed safety screens at the till and admission points.
Our team safety protocols – where applicable, the team will be wearing masks or visors and sometimes gloves (we’ll still be smiling). Team members will endeavour to maintain a 1-2 metre distance between you and your group. (Prior to every shift the team will complete a pre-check, including hand washing and a temperature check, to ensure they are ready and able to work).
Wash / sanitising hands – We have installed hand sanitiser points at regular intervals around the attraction.
Cards not cash – our online booking system is easy to use, please can we encourage you to book online in advance where possible. As capacity will be reduced this means you can guarantee your place on a tour, at a time that suits you and avoid disappointment. On site, please use contactless payment where possible to reduce the handling of cash. We have increased our limit to £45.
Clean it, clean it, clean it – we already maintain the highest of standards on site, but now more than ever we’ll be going above and beyond to make sure that the attraction is super clean. We’ve upped the regular cleaning regime of surfaces and touch points and have invested in more thorough deep cleans as well.
Face Coverings: In line with government guidelines, we ask that all guests wear face coverings/masks whilst inside our building whenever possible.

As you can see, we have thought very carefully about your safety and we’d encourage you to do the same. When you are with us, please can you observe to the below visitor attraction social etiquette so that we can all have an enjoyable experience with confidence.

This is what we ask that you do for your fellow guests’ safety…

Book online in advance – as numbers are reduced this will guarantee your entrance on the day you want and at our very best price.
Know your tier – abide by the government rules and advice for your tier. If your tier now means you can’t visit us, let us know as soon as possible and we may be able to arrange an alternative date, voucher or refund.
If you are not well – high temperature, coughing or any other recognised symptoms – do not visit. Come when you are well. We will enforce this. Let us know as soon as possible and we may be able to arrange an alternative date, voucher or refund
If you are well then please arrive 15 minutes before you tour is due to start to allow plenty time for safety checks in our Arrival Zone, please note you may be asked to queue outdoors but we’ll get you to as quickly as possible.
Maintain an appropraite social distance between your group and others – we are all getting used to it.
Use hand sanitiser when you arrive and at regular intervals on your visit. In the short term, we encourage guests to wear masks and gloves where possible and practical – if you are happy to do so.
Use cards not cash.
Follow the one-way systems and follow our guest services team’s instructions on where to stand or queue.
Have fun!

We have worked with the Association of leading Visitor Attractions, British Association of Lesuire Attractions and UK Hospitality to re-design our safe operating procedures so you can visit with confidence. The above steps are already being planned and put in place. We may add or take away a couple of steps, depending on Government guidelines closer to the time of opening, but right now, this is our focus.

We cannot wait to welcome you to Oxford Castle and Prison, where we invite you to Step back and do 1000 years of time…

Please note: We have taken enhanced health and safety measures across our site for you, our other guest and our team members. An inherent risk of COVID-19 exists in every public place where people are present. By entering our attraction, guests accept they have a duty to take steps to ensure their own safety. All guests should behave in a safe manner we would ask you to leave for the safety of others. Please respect our team.