All ship-shape for Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust tours
Boat tours are now back on for Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust after the attraction officially reopened to guests following lockdown.
Bosses said the last three months were “challenging” but that it was “really great” to have smiling customers back on site.
Traci Dix-Williams, chief executive of the Dudley Canal and Tunnel Trust, said: “The last three months have been challenging for us as you have been trying to keep morale up with staff.
“We are a fairly small team, we have got 33 staff. But you are conscious that everybody’s job was at risk. It is still hard, but we did well, we managed to seek some funding. We are going to have to adapt our business a little bit because of how the future will be.
“We have got reduced staff on site, staff who are working on site are essential only, and other staff are working from home still.
"We have got the cafe open, with indoor and outdoor seating with a reduced menu. We have put screens in the shop and at the tills and contactless payment. There’s a one way route in and out.
“We were really pleased when we found out we could open back up. The team was in for two weeks setting up ready for reopening. It is really great to have people back on site and visiting us. It went really smoothly on Friday, the first day.”
The attraction is open three days a week in July, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and will then open for more days in August.
Six boats will be allowed on the water per day, with a maximum of 32 people with social distancing.
Screens have also been put up in the middle of the boat to help keep people safe and guests still have to wear helmets which are then put in a disinfection liquid-filled bin and soaked for a while, before being left to dry overnight.
