Malmesbury’s Cloister Gardens has re-opened after undergoing major restoration works for the first time in 40 years – just in time for an ease in lockdown restrictions. The Cloister Gardens, a tranquil garden to the rear of Malmesbury Abbey, was officially opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Anne on Tuesday, May 27, 1980. But since then, little has done to maintain it, with one councillor describing the area’s neglect as ‘creating a potential public hazard’. After closing at the start of February to allow works to take place, the gardens have now re-opened, as an ease in lockdown restrictions now allow two people to meet outdoors for a coffee on a park bench or a picnic.