Visitor notices

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Advent & Christmas 2025

Day	Cathedral opening times
Christmas Eve – Wednesday 24 December 2025	Open as usual (Café 16 closed)
Christmas Day – Thursday 25 December 2025	8am-approx. 11:30am (Cathedral closes after the 10am service) (Café 16 closed)
Friday 26 December 2025	8am-12 midday (Café 16 closed)
Saturday 27 December 2025	8am-12 midday (Café 16 closed)
Sunday 28 December 2025	8am-approx. 11:30am (Cathedral closes after the 10am service) (Café 16 closed)
Monday 29 December 2025	8am-2pm (Café 16 closed)
Tuesday 30 December – Friday 2 January 2026	8am-12 midday (Café 16 closed)
Saturday 3 January 2026	8am-4pm, i.e. times return to normal (Café 16 re-opens)

Café 16 in the Cathedral Refectory will close for Christmas at 4pm on Tuesday 23 December 2025. It will re-open on Saturday 3 January 2026.

School & group visits

In early 2026, we look forward to welcoming our new Learning Officer and reviewing the range of workshops and guided visits we offer.

Please note: If you would like a guided tour ​in the meantime, or plan to visit as a self-led group, please email office@newcastlecathedral.org.uk with your proposed date and time.

All visiting schools must submit a risk assessment and their safeguarding policy prior to their visit. We look forward to welcoming you soon!

Step-free access

We are currently awaiting essential maintenance to our historic Lantern Tower, which will be carried out in collaboration with Newcastle City Council. During this time, the main step-free West Entrance is temporarily closed.

Please follow the signs to the East Entrance, where step-free access remains available. Our website’s Access Information page has been updated to reflect this temporary change.

Lantern Tower maintenance: Impact & progress

Last updated May 2025

Essential work is still required to safeguard our historic Lantern Tower for future generations. This project is a collaborative effort between Newcastle City Council and Newcastle Cathedral, supported by specialist advisors Heritage Stone Access and structural engineer Charles Blackett-Ord.

We are currently awaiting the start of this maintenance. As a result, tours of the Lantern Tower remain postponed.

In the meantime, you can still discover the rich history of this iconic structure by watching the short film below, presented by local guide Alex Iles.

Cathedral clock and bell ringing

In addition to the step-free access changes mentioned above, please note that the clock on the Cathedral Tower may not display the correct time until we can access its internal mechanism. Furthermore, our regular bell-ringing activities are temporarily suspended during the ongoing repairs. We apologise for any inconvenience and appreciate your understanding as this work continues to preserve the Cathedral’s heritage.