Wells Cathedral recently introduced a new £14 admission fee, sparking a mix of controversy and support.

The policy, effective from Monday, April 22, offers a year-long pass for non-exempt adults, while ensuring free access for local residents, children, and those visiting for religious reasons such as prayer, lighting candles, or attending services.

The change has largely been met with approval from visitors who appreciate the Cathedral's need to fund maintenance through the fees.

Positive reviews highlight the experience provided by the cathedral, with one visitor remarking, "A lovely place to visit, especially when choir practice is on," and another adding: "Absolutely gorgeous cathedral! And so lovely to hear the organist playing before the evening service."

However, the introduction of the fee hasn't been without its detractors.

A recent incident involved a man accusing cathedral staff of screaming at him about the entrance fee during his visit for prayer. This complaint appeared in a Google review and letters to a number of media outlets, where the visitor expressed his displeasure

"As I walked in the door, staff screamed at me that there was a fee to pay. As I'm coming in for prayer, I do not need to pay that but I also don't feel it's appropriate to have to explain myself."

The cathedral has said an investigation into the specifics of the complaint is underway, including a review of CCTV footage.

A spokesperson for the cathedral said: "Wells Cathedral introduced changes to its admission guidelines on 22nd April 2024 with free passes for local people, for parishioners in the Diocese and a new entry charge for adult tourists.  

"It costs £4,500 each day to run this Grade 1 listed cathedral and, like all Church of England cathedrals, Wells receives limited funding from the church and government relying on donations, legacies and grants as well as the income we can generate ourselves.

"All money raised will be ploughed back into the cathedral to fund worship and mission, care and restoration of the fabric, visitor operations, hospitality and outreach.

"Wells Cathedral remains free to enter for worship, prayer and to light a candle and, since the introduction of the changes, has welcomed many people who want to pray and attend services via barrier-free entry. 

"We are aware of a recent complaint from one individual however and have been in direct contact with the individual concerned. As with all complaints we are following cathedral procedures and fully investigating the complaint, including reviewing the Cathedral's CCTV."