Over the past week, and into the next week, Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Museums, Galleries and Customer Service Facilities have started to reopen and will continue to reopen, following their enforced closure due to Covid-19.
Last week, Gracefield Arts Centre and Kirkcudbright Galleries opened their doors, and the remainder of our museums and galleries will reopen on Tuesday 1 September with the exception of the Castle of St John in Stranraer (due to social distancing guidelines). Visitors are encouraged to book beforehand and can do so online at www.dgculture.co.uk or by calling our Midsteeple Box Office on 01387 253383. The Box Office is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 1pm.
Communities Committee Vice Chairman, Councillor John Martin paid a visit to Gracefield Arts Centre earlier this week. He commented afterwards;
“This site, along with all our facilities have spent a lot of time making sure our sites are health and safety compliant to allow visitors to enjoy their experience in the facility. There’s hand sanitor everywhere you turn and the booking system allows us to hold records for test and protect as well as control visitor numbers. We will be opening our other museums and galleries next week and I would encourage locals and visitors alike to get themselves booked in, as I did today, and come along.”
Last week also saw our Customer Service Facilities reopen, with library services resuming first of all and the wider customer service functions following on. From this week you can now visit a customer service facility for assistance with NEC applications, blue badge renewal or applications, pick up dog bags or pay a bill. As with all our facilities, there’s hand sanitiser available as you enter and exit buildings and some of the opening times have altered for each site. Opening times for each facility can be found on our website at www.dumgal.gov.uk/lia
Communities Committee Chairman, Councillor Andy Ferguson, visited The Ewart Library. He said;
“The reopening of our Customer Service Centre facilities is very timely for communities across the region. These places are ‘one stop shops’ for a lot of people who take the opportunity to bring the kids along to pick up a book, use the ICT equipment on-site and perhaps ask a question of a Council service or function. We’ve taken steps to protect service users and our staff by deploying large screens and sanitiser and we’re looking forward to welcoming people back in. It’s worth checking the website before visiting though, as some services require an appointment and opening times have altered for most sites.”
Updates to opening times, events and exhibitions will be posted on www.dgculture.co.uk and www.dumgal.gov.uk/lia
