Tar barrels 2025 - Nov 5th 2025

(Image 2023)

For up to date information relating to attending the event / follow Ottery St Mary Carnival & Tar Barrels Facebook page on the link below 

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BSGLP1ELB/

Want to check out the merchandise on offer - The shop will be open for shopping on the evening but you can also check out the collection here 

https://ottery-st-mary-carnival.sumupstore.com

Programmes & where to buy them

Programmes with the barrel schedules / map are available to buy from most shops, eateries and trading stands within the town centre for £2

Parking to attend tar barrels

Parking will be available at Otter Garden Centre (EX11 1LZ) and Barrack Road (EX11 1RD ).

No other car parks will be available. In bad weather, a third may be available at Finnimore Industrial Estate – please take note of the signs

Toilets:

There is portaloos positioned near the the library on silver street

Millennium Green near the fun fair 

Pubs /eateries that are open

The Eco Boutique, 11 Broad Street

🔥Tar Barrel Rolling Road Closures 🔥Wednesday 5th November 2025

Road closures come into force at two different times again this year, the first at 3:30pm and the second at 5:00pm. All the closures coming into Ottery will be manned and blocked. There will be limited access for residents only to the following:

Toadpit Lane and Foxenhole via Bendarroch Road only, Barrack Rd end of Toadpit lane will be closed.

King’s Reach from West Hill or the Fluxton via Salston Cross.

Thorne Farm Way from West Hill or the Fluxton via Salston Cross along by King’s Reach and right onto Barrack Rd and then into Thorne Farm Way.

Salston Barton from West Hill or the Fluxton via Salston Cross.

We urge anyone traveling between Salston Cross and Thorne Farm Way to exercise extreme caution due to the extra pedestrians.

If you are a resident of King’s reach, Thorne Farm Way, and Salston Barton and will be arriving home after 5pm please ensure you have proof of your address with you so that our traffic management company can allow you through the road closure.

If you are unable to access your home please use the car parks provided, pay the £10.00, and ask for a receipt to be able to claim your money back. Or make prior arrangements to enable yourselves to get back in time.

If any resident inside the road closures has an emergency and has to leave the town while the event is on there is a contact number to call: 01404 813838. I must stress only in an emergency. This number will be manned between 2pm – 1am. We have all the resources at hand to help you, should you require it.

If you use public transport, be aware that services will be disrupted and you should check with the service provider for details. There will be no additional late night buses if you are planning to travel in for the event by bus. Taxis and buses can drop off and collect from Salston Cross and there will be lighting throughout Strawberry Lane.

The 3:30pm closure will affect the following streets and cul-de-sacs: 

Jesu St at the Tip Hill Junction, Yonder St (Bridgefield) at the Slade Road and Furzebrook junction, Brook St at the Silver St junction, Sandhill St at the Cornhill Gold St junction, all the way through New Street on to the Furzebrook junction.

This closure will also affect New Lane below the Sunnyhill junction, Spring Gardens, Brookdale, Beauvale Close, Chapel Lane, Yonder Close, Plume of Feathers Close, Hollis Close and Batts Lane. This will enable the rest of the town to move freely around this area allowing the junior tar barrels to start at 4:00pm.

The 5pm closure will affect the following streets:

Exeter Road, Barrack Road, Cadhay Lane, Fairmile Lane, Strawberry Lane, West Hill Road, Mill Street, Canaan Way, Hind Street, Broad Street, Silver Street, the Flexton, Cornhill, Paternoster Row, Gold Street, Tip Hill, Millcroft, Higher Spring Gardens, Gosford Road, Bendarroch Road, Toadpit Lane, Claremont Field, Thorne Farm Way, Hansford Way, Elliot Close, Godfrey Close, Ferguson Close and Taylor Close.

There is a free route around the town; Longdogs Lane, Slade Road, Chineway Road, Kennaway Road into Ridgeway onto North St and Butts Hill or vice versa. 

Should any changes occur prior to or during the event, they will be updated on this page Ottery St Mary Carnival & Tar Barrels

Our aim, as always, is to keep the disruption to a minimum whilst ensuring the safety of pedestrians and we apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may cause.

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Parking Restrictions and Clearways  - Ottery St Mary Carnival & Tar Barrels

In order to keep our Through Route clear and to keep people safe, the following roads are affected by restrictions for the Tar Barrel event.
We really do appreciate everyone's help to keep these roads clear of vehicles and apologise for the inconvenience.

No person shall (except upon the direction or with permission of a Police Officer in uniform) cause or permit any vehicle to stop on the sections of Affected Roads.

Roads affected between 1200pm 5th Nov 2025– 0100 6th November 2025
Ottery St Mary –
• CADHAY LANE
• EXETER ROAD (between Daisymount roundabout and entrance to parking field)
• BARRACK ROAD
• ROAD FROM KINGS SCHOOL CROSS TO SALSTON CORNER
• ROAD FROM PITT FARM TO HIND STREET
• ROAD FROM BUTTS ROAD TO GOSFORD ROAD
• STRAWBERRY LANE
• KENNAWAY ROAD
• HIGHER RIDGEWAY (between Kennaway Road and Ridgeway)
• RIDGEWAY
• SLADE ROAD (between junction with Longdogs Lane and Yonder Street)
• CHINEWAY ROAD
• LONGDOGS LANE.
Outside Ottery St Mary –
• WEST HILL ROAD, WEST HILL (between School Lane, West Hill and Strawberry Lane, Ottery St Mary),
• ROAD PAST THE SALSTON
HOTEL,
• ROAD FROM FLUXTON FARM
TO APPLE TREE COTTAGE,
FLUXTON, (between Bishops Court and Road Past The Salston Hotel),
• ROAD FROM GOSFORD ROAD TO FOUR ELMS FARM, ALFINGTON,
• ALFINGTON ROAD,
• ROAD THROUGH ALFINGTON,
• ROAD FROM MILE INN TO PITT
FARM, FAIRMILE

No person shall cause or permit any vehicle to wait on the sections of Affected Roads.
Roads affected between

1200pm 5th November – 0100 6th November 

* MILL STREET, JESU STREET, YONDER STREET, BRIDGEFIELD, BROAD STREET,
OTTERY ST MARY.