Belvoir Castle Celebrates Growth in Visitor Numbers as It Opens for a New Season
Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire has reported a strong rise in visitor numbers as it opens its historic doors for the 2026 season, welcoming 13% more day visitors over the past year compared to 2024.
Set high above the rolling Vale of Belvoir, the castle—home to the Duke and Duchess of Rutland and their five children—remains one of England’s most treasured historic estates.
During 2025, more than 83,500 visitors explored the castle, its grounds and gardens, reinforcing its status as a key destination within the East Midlands. The increase has been attributed to a growing programme of events, including A Magical Night Before Christmas and the annual Flower and Garden Show.
The growth reflects wider national trends. According to the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), the East Midlands is now one of the most visited regions outside London, with year-on-year growth of 7%. While overall visits to ALVA’s 409 sites continued to rise in 2025, figures remain slightly below pre-pandemic levels.
ALVA director Bernard Donoghue OBE said:
"Visitor attractions are the places that people prize most and provide the experiences that people, even in a cost-of-living crisis, are most loathe to give up."
He continued:
"In a time of unpredictable futures, uncertain economics, global insecurities, economic challenges, and an ongoing cost-of-living crisis, the UK public are more tactical than ever in deciding how they spend their leisure pounds and their leisure hours."
Momentum has continued into 2026, with a strong start to the season following the castle’s March reopening. Over the Easter bank holiday weekend (2–6 April), Belvoir Castle welcomed more than 3,200 visitors across the estate, including the Adventure Playground. The Animal Park, located within the Belvoir Retail Village, recorded its highest visitor numbers since opening in October 2024.
Eleanor Melville, marketing manager of Belvoir Castle, said:
“We are thrilled to see such a fantastic response from our visitors throughout the seasons,”
“This increase in visitor numbers is a testament to the hard work of our team who work hard every day to create exciting memorable, engaging experiences for everyone whether they’re on a tour through the Castle, taking a tranquil stroll through the spring gardens or popping into the Farm Shop to buy fresh Belvoir produce.”
The rise in visitor numbers follows continued investment across the estate, including new retail offerings, seasonal events and enhanced visitor experiences. Over Easter, the castle also launched a new boutique for dog owners, the Belvoir Barkery, which proved popular with visitors and their pets.
Belvoir Castle has also received national recognition, winning the 2025 VisitEngland accolade for "Best Told Story", celebrating excellence in visitor experience and storytelling. The castle has also been shortlisted for Best Family Attraction by Muddy Stilettos (Northants, Leicestershire and Rutland) and Best Christmas Experience at the Group Leisure and Travel Awards.
Looking ahead, the 2026 calendar features a packed programme of events. Highlights include the annual Flower and Garden Show, welcoming well-known names from popular gardening programmes such as BBC Gardeners’ World presenter Adam Frost and ITV’s Love Your Garden presenter David Domoney.
New for this year is a special May Day celebration on 4 May (10am–3pm), bringing traditional British festivities to life through music, heritage and family-friendly activities. Visitors can also explore the Belvoir Retail Village, which will host local traders, live folk music, Morris dancing and bagpiping.
Over the late May bank holiday (23–25 May), Boom Circus will return with pirate-themed performances and interactive workshops.
Throughout the year, the estate will also host a range of free community events in the Retail Village, including a book club led by the Belvoir Chaplain, Eddie Wynn MBE, and a monthly Vintage and Craft Market showcasing local makers, artists and antique sellers.
Open seven days a week, Belvoir Retail Village continues to grow as a vibrant shopping and dining destination at the foot of the castle. Housed within restored estate buildings, it offers a mix of artisan retail, homewares, fashion, crafts and locally sourced produce in the Farm Shop.
For more information on Belvoir Castle and upcoming events, visit belvoircastle.com.