Opening times are changing at the County Record Office in Warwick – in response to public pressure.

From Tuesday 6 October 1998, the Priory Park office will be open through the lunch-hour so people using the archives won’t have their research interrupted while staff take a break.

By way of celebration, there will be a lunchtime launch on the first day of extended opening hours (Tuesday 6 October). Invited guests will include two women whose complaints prompted the change.

Caroline Wetton, Chairman of the Warwickshire Family History Society and Mrs J Prime of Coventry both campaigned for lunchtime opening. Their views were echoed in a recent survey undertaken by the County Record Office. More people (24%) asked for longer opening hours than any other service improvement.

"We listen intently to what people say about our service," said Principal Archives Officer Caroline Sampson. "Far from avoiding complaints, we want to hear them. We can only make the service more responsive to people’s needs by listening to what they have to say."

The revised opening hours are as follows:

Monday                  closed

Tuesday - Thursday 9am – 5.30pm

Friday                 9am – 5.00pm

Saturday                 9am – 12.30pm