Cathedral to charge £4 entry fee

A voluntary entry charge has been in place since 2003

Exeter Cathedral is to join the list of English cathedrals that charge an entry fee to help meet running costs.

From 24 March, adults will pay £4 to enter the 12th Century building, although not on Sundays.

Under 16s will not pay and OAPs and students will be charged a concessionary entrance fee of £2.

Fees will be introduced alongside passes for those who live and worship in the diocese and who visit the cathedral for quiet and prayer.

It mean no charges will be made for people worshipping or praying in the city's cathedral.

Currently the cathedral relies entirely on voluntary donations of £3.50 per adult to fund running and upkeep costs of £1.25m a year.

But last year contributions dropped markedly to £131,000 and church leaders have agreed it is time for a change.

Stewards resign

The cathedral introduced voluntary charges in 2003 and a number of voluntary stewards resigned in protest.

Modern developments like a refectory, which offers coffees and lunches to the public, have helped to boost income at the cathedral which had 170,000 visitors last year.

But with contributions down and running costs increasing, the cathedral has now decided to join at least five others.

Lincoln, Canterbury, St Paul's, York and Chester, as well as Westminster Abbey, all charge for entry.

A cathedral spokesman said: "A large proportion of visitors see cathedrals as a cultural and heritage attraction, and as such would expect to pay an entrance charge."