Skidby windmill which was built in 1821, and is the home of the Museum of East Riding Rural Life, is due to open its doors again on Monday, 20 July after being closed during the lockdown.
The mill’s opening hours will remain the same as before: Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday 10.00am-5.00pm, closed for lunch 12.30pm-1.00pm, last admissions at 4.15pm. These times may be subject to change.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in line with government advice & regulations, various measures have had to be put in place to protect visitors and staff.
The number of visitors at any one time will be restricted, and visits will be limited to 30 minutes in order to comply with social distancing, and customers will have to follow a prescribed route around the building. This will be dynamically managed by mill staff.
Unfortunately, due to the nature of the site, this means that access to the mill tower has had to be closed for the time being and all children’s play materials have been removed. During the initial phase, for customer and staff safety, the public toilets will not be available.
However, there is a new display about milling and food production at the base of the tower. There is also a brand new set of children’s play equipment on the acreage outside the mill, recently installed by Sutcliffe Play Limited, which will be available for visitors to enjoy. The acreage also makes a great space for an outside picnic as well, but visitors are asked to ensure they keep the space tidy for other users by using the new Heritage bins located around the site.
The mill is currently undergoing a programme of works, including repairs to the roof, windows and tower, which are scheduled to take about 12 weeks. This is being carried out by Hobson and Porter of Hull. It is hoped that the sails will be returned to the mill in early 2021.
During this building work, all parts of the site remain open, including the independently run Sails café, which has recently been refurbished. Visitors are asked to be aware of construction work in progress as they move around the site.
Councillor Shaun Horton, the portfolio holder for tourism, culture and leisure, said:
“Our museum’s service staff look forward to welcoming visitors both old and new to this much loved historic building over the coming months. Visitors might be particularly interested in the refurbishment work taking place as a result of the major council investment in the facility”.
Visitors are encouraged to view the museum service’s website at www.eastridingmuseums.co.uk for further information before planning their visit, or they can call the mill on 01482 848405.
