The Look Out Discovery Centre statement about coronavirus
Updated 13 January 2021
Visiting the indoor science exhibition
All indoor facilities closed on 19 December 2020 until further notice.
This includes the indoor science exhibition, gift shop, coffee shop indoor seating area and toilets.
Visiting the playground
If you are local you can make a booking to use our playground.
Protecting our customers
The safety of our staff and customers is our top priority.
You can see what measures we’re taking on our playground and coffee shop page, under terms and conditions.
Coffee shop open for takeaway
The coffee shop is open for takeaway purchases. We have a selection of hot and cold drinks, snacks and ice creams available for takeaway.
Car park
The Look Out car park is open.
Additional measures have been put in place to direct the flow of people and cyclists on the site. All visitors are asked to respect the signage.
When the car park reaches capacity, the entrance will be closed, so it is essential that visitors are prepared to return home or travel onward to an alternative destination if the car park is full on arrival. There is no opportunity for vehicles to queue on site or on the access roads. Traffic wardens will be in attendance to address illegal parking.
The car park remains chargeable as normal. Parking machines will accept contactless card payments only.
The car park is open daily between 7am and 6pm.
All cars must leave the car park by 6pm.
Visiting Swinley Forest
Swinley Forest can be accessed for your once per day exercise:
- on your own
- with the people you live with
- with your support bubble
- when on your own, with one person from another household
Consider walking or cycling where possible, and please stay 2 metres from others at all times.
Swinley Forest is a rare and valuable wildlife habitat, which is very sensitive to disturbance, particularly the wildlife that lives there. The use of barbecues or campfires on site is strictly forbidden to prevent destructive forest fires.
Please take all your litter home with you, particularly if the bins are full, as leaving litter can be unsightly and cause harm to wildlife. Broken glass bottles pose a threat to visitors and their dogs; they trap wildlife and magnify the sun, which can cause forest fires.
Cyclists should always ride within their limits and recognise that the area will be busier than normal with walking activities and family visits. Any accidents will put pressure on the NHS and the emergency services, taking resources away from the COVID-19 response.
We continue to prioritise the ongoing safety of our staff, visitors and the wider community and reflect on the latest government and public health advice.
If you do decide to visit us at this time, we ask all visitors to abide by the latest advice from the NHS.
Other services in Swinley Forest
Please contact these directly for information on their services:
Contact information
The Look Out Discovery Centre
Telephone Number 01344 354400