GovWire

• Hillsborough Castle Gardens will be open free of charge from Wednesday 14 September to Sunday 18 September for anyone that wishes to take time to pause and reflect on the life of Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.

• Direct access into the estate and the floral tributes at the main gates is now being facilitated via the main car park off the A1. Mobility assistance is available for those wishing to pay their respects. More information is available on the Historic Royal Palace website.

• Park and ride services via the Eikon Centre are no longer available. Everyone travelling to Hillsborough Castle should use the parking facilities at the A1 Hillsborough Castle visitor centre.

• The floral tribute area at the village entrance to Hillsborough Castle will be open from 8am to 8pm daily.

• Please be aware that the dedicated area for floral tributes at Hillsborough Castle will close at 8pm on Monday 19 September.

• Normal business at Hillsborough Castle and Gardens will resume on Tuesday 20 September.

• Other artefacts (i.e. items other than flowers, such as teddy bears) are not allowed to be laid, and will be removed. Notes will be removed and preserved.

• More information and guidance can be found on the Cabinet Office mourning period guidance web page.

• Guidance has now been issued for how the public can attend Her Majesty The Queens Lying-in-State at Westminster Hall and can be viewed here.

• Further information on the public transport services is available on Translinks Website

Q&A

When is Hillsborough Castle open?

• The floral tribute area at the village entrance to Hillsborough Castle will be open from 8am to 8pm daily. Please be aware that the dedicated area for floral tributes at Hillsborough Castle will close at 8pm on Monday 19 September.

• The gardens at Hillsborough Castle are now open free of charge until Sunday 18 September. The gardens will close again on Monday 19 September for the State Funeral. Normal business will resume on Tuesday 20 September when the castle and gardens will both reopen again to paying guests.

I live in Hillsborough, what do I need to know?

• Local residents and business owners within Royal Hillsborough Village should receive a leaflet from Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council regarding the special arrangements in operation during the national period of mourning.
• From 11 am Thursday 15 September, local resident parking permits will no longer be required and the Community Assistance Centre will be closed.

I am a blue badge holder and want to see the flowers?

• Blue badge holders and others with mobility issues can access the floral tributes area via the A1 visitors centre where they will be able to park and then be facilitated to the top site to view the flowers.

I just want to lay flowers, what do I need to know?

• Hillsborough Castle Gardens is accessible via the main car park off the A1 as well as the main village entrance. More information is available on the Historic Royal Palaces website.

• Flowers may be laid outside Hillsborough Castle; any other material (such as wrappings and other tributes) will be removed and the flowers will be laid in the dedicated area.

• The floral tribute area at the village entrance to Hillsborough Castle will be open from 8am to 8pm daily. Please be aware that the dedicated area for floral tributes at Hillsborough Castle will close at 8pm on M

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