Oakham Castle and Rutland County Museum are due to reopen in the coming weeks, having closed their doors in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Oakham Castle's Great Hall will reopen to visitors on Wednesday August 19, with new opening hours of 10am to 1pm, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

Rutland County Museum in Oakham will reopen on Wednesday September 2, with new opening hours of 1.30pm to 4.30pm, Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Both attractions will reopen with safety measures in place, to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Visitors to Oakham Castle and Rutland County Museum will be asked to follow social distancing rules and wear a face covering, in line with the latest government guidance.

Visitors will also be asked to leave contact details to assist NHS Test and Trace, if needed. Hand sanitiser stations and additional cleaning measures have also been introduced at both venues. Gift shops will not be able handle cash and can only accept card payments.

Coun Oliver Hemsley, Leader of Rutland County Council and Cabinet Member for Tourism & Economic Development, said:"We're pleased to be able to reopen the Castle and Museum, both of which are much-loved visitor attractions that are particularly popular in the summer.

"As you would expect, we've had to make a number of changes to keep staff and visitors safe. These may take some getting used to but are extremely important and we're confident they won't detract from the enjoyment of visiting."

For more information about Oakham Castle and its 800-year history, visit: www.oakhamcastle.org.

To learn more about the exhibitions and artefacts at Rutland County Museum, visit: rutlandcountymuseum.org.uk.