A SCULPTURE park near Dorchester is celebrating a record-breaking year - with almost 50 per cent more visitors flooding through its doors than before the pandemic.

Award-winning attraction, Sculpture by the Lakes, welcomed around 30,000 visitors in 20201 - 10,000 more than in 2019 despite a cap on numbers to allow for social distancing and 'tranquility' for guests.

The record-breaking figures have been revealed just days after the attraction announced it would be temporarily closing from December 23 to February 1 for an extensive upgrading project. A new shop, toilet block, seating and a stage for live music will be created as part of the work.

Dorset Echo: Sculpture by the Lakes at Pallington Lakes, near Dorchester (PHOTO: Simon Gudgeon)

The 26-acre attraction is home to woodland, rivers, lakes and gardens dotted with dozens of monumental sculptures, along with a gallery, café, shops and venue spaces.

Internationally renowned sculptor Simon Gudgeon, co-creator of Sculpture by the Lakes alongside his wife Monique, said: “Seeing the final tally for the year was quite astonishing. We are so pleased that so many more people have found us and can enjoy this very special place.

“By taking online advance bookings only, we have been able to cap visitor numbers each day, helping both to ensure safe social distancing and maintain that special atmosphere of tranquillity and relaxation that is synonymous with Sculpture by the Lakes.

“Even with the strict cap in place on ticket sales, because we’re open practically all year-round and we’ve been sold out so many days, we have still seen visitor numbers add up over the course of the year.”

Simon also credits the popularity of the special events and festivals taking place at the park over the course of the year with helping to boost visitor numbers.

These have included the inaugural FORM – The Sculpture Exhibition, which took place in spring and saw the park transformed with some 200 additional works, including 100 monumental sculptures, from more than 30 leading sculptors, as well as the simultaneous Dorset Garden Festival. There was also the return of the Dorset Arts Festival in the summer, and autumn’s Wellbeing by the Lakes festival.

Simon added: “It has been a rollercoaster of a year and like so many others in this sector we have had to adapt to make sure we remained compliant with all the changing restrictions, but we’ve also taken the opportunity to be bold and try new things. That approach is one I’m looking forward to continuing with next year; it certainly keeps things interesting, not just for our visitors, but for me too!

“I also think the pressures and stresses of this pandemic have meant that people have really craved a place where they can relax and recharge, so we’ve seen many people coming back time and time again.

“We’re really proud of what we have created here, and the number of visitors – and repeat visitors - is testament to the team’s hard work to make the experience a really special one every single time.”

Sculpture by the Lakes is open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Entry to the sculpture park is £12.50, and tickets must be pre-booked on-line to manage visitor numbers. Entry to Gallery by the Lakes, the Artisan’s Bazaar, and Café by the Lakes is free of charge.