December 2021 update: Christmas opening hours and more...
Hello and welcome to our final blog post for 2021!
The Matthew crew would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your support as we've navigated through what proved to be another up-and-down year for us all. We had a later-than-usual start to our summer season in 2021 but we've been so pleased to be able to welcome lots of you aboard, whether you came for a visit to explore the ship, or joined us on a trip around the harbour or even further afield on an Avon Gorge cruise.
Annual maintenance
The skipper and some of our volunteer crew hard at work!
Our sailing season came to a close at the end of October – even though we don’t run trips during the winter, it’s still a hive of activity down on the ship! The skipper and some of our dedicated volunteers have got stuck into our annual winter maintenance programme – they’ve been busy sanding, sawing, fixing up and replacing timbers and painting. There's also been lots going on below decks in the engineering department as the ship’s hydraulic pumps get a complete refurb this winter. Perhaps not particularly exciting, but very necessary for sailing the ship...
The ship is due to come out of the water for a thorough going-over at some point in January, so if we're not at our Princes Wharf mooring, we'll be at Underfall Yard – do pop along for a unique view of The Matthew in dry dock!
Find out how you can support The Matthew of Bristol Trust, get involved and help to keep The Matthew afloat here >>
Stuck for last-minute present ideas?
Well, look no further!
Give that special someone the perfect gift of a trip to remember – a unique present for the person who has everything.
We have gift vouchers based on our most popular bookings – you can buy a voucher for our ever-popular Fish & Chips Trips or for a fabulous cruise down the Avon Gorge – or you can choose your own amount. The lucky recipient will be able to use their gift voucher towards any upcoming public trip listed on our website (subject to availability).
If you're thinking of sending a Matthew gift voucher for Christmas, please do get your order in for posted vouchers by Sunday 19th December so it can be posted before the Christmas break. But don't worry if you miss the cut-off – our print-at-home vouchers can still be ordered at any time for immediate email delivery!
Christmas & New Year opening hours
Ship opening hours
Our volunteer crew are taking a well-deserved break for a couple of weeks, so the ship will be closed to visitors over the Christmas period. The ship is now closed to visitors until Saturday 1st January when we will reopen as usual from 10am.
Office opening hours
Sarah in the office will also be putting her feet up over Christmas! The Matthew office will be closed from 3pm on Monday 20th December until 9:30am on Wednesday 5th January.
Coming soon...
2022 is going to be a busy year for the ship as The Matthew of Bristol celebrates its 25th anniversary! We're currently planning some very special events, so do keep an eye on our website and social media. You can also subscribe to get our newsletter and be amongst the first to know when we announce our celebration plans. Head to our Contact page to subscribe >>
We will also be publishing our first trip dates for the 2022 sailing season as soon as they are confirmed.
For now, we'd like to wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful new year. We look forward to welcoming you aboard again next year!
Best wishes,
The Matthew team
