Iconic glasshouse reopens at Botanic Garden in Cambridge

Watch a video report by a ITV News Anglia's Raveena Ghattaura 

The iconic glasshouse range at Cambridge University Botanic Garden has reopened after closing due to the pandemic.

Staff welcomed back visitors to the 40 acre site in June, but the glasshouse remain closed.

From delicate alpines to tropical trees, the glasshouse is home to two thousand plants, around a quarter of the total amount at the site.

Some staff have been working throughout lockdown to preserve the plants.

"The plants survived, the staff survived, and the garden still looks great but it was so quiet", Director Beverley Glover said.

"To see people back in, enjoying the plants, smelling the plants, touching the plants, it has really brought the heart back into the garden and it was such a relief for us all to see that happen."

Like many places that have reopened across the East, measures are in place to keep people safe.

Signs have been put up across the garden to remind people to social distance and hand sanitising stations have also been installed.

Visitors have to pre-book their tickets online to limit numbers and there's a one way system in place inside the glasshouse and at the gates.

Around 16 thousand people have visited since the garden opened its doors on June 9th - around half of the usual amount.

"Like other organisations who rely on visitors for their income, it was very hard to close for 12 weeks", Beverley added.

"So it is a real relief to be open again and to welcome people back, to see the happiness of people but to also see the income streams come back as well."