New Tier System for Parts of Hertfordshire

Yesterday the Government announced that parts of Hertfordshire which includes Broxbourne, Hertsmere, Three Rivers and Watford will be entering Tier 3 as from 16 December. The rest of Hertfordshire: Dacorum, East Herts, North Herts, Stevenage, St Albans and Welwyn Hatfield will remain in Tier 2.

Below are details of the restrictions that will apply for tier 2 and tier 3 as well as a link to more detail on the grant support that will apply to businesses in each tier.

If you have any questions or issues that you would like to raise, you can contact Visit Herts. Clarifications will be shared by email and on their Covid-19 Government and Industry Updates page.

Businesses open in all tiers:

• Essential and non-essential retail, including indoor and outdoor markets and car boot sales can open in all tiers.
• Leisure and sporting facilities such as gyms, sports courts and facilities, leisure centres, fitness and dance studios, golf courses, swimming pools, riding centres, outdoor playgrounds can open in all Tiers, although group activities and classes should not take place at Tier 3.
• Personal care and close contact services such as hairdressers and barbers, beauty salons, tattoo parlours, nail salons, spas and beauty services, massage parlours and tanning salons

• People must not meet with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
• People must not meet in a group of more than 6 outside, including in a garden or other space
• Pubs and bars must close, unless operating as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals
• Hospitality businesses selling food or drink for consumption on their premises are required to:
  • provide table service only, in premises which sell alcohol
  • close between 11pm and 5am (hospitality venues in airports, ports, transport services and motorway service areas are exempt)
  • stop taking orders after 10pm​
• ​Hospitality businesses and venues selling food and drink for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-through
• Early closure (11pm) applies to casinos, cinemas, theatres, museums, bowling alleys, amusement arcades, funfairs, theme parks, adventure parks and activities, and bingo halls. Cinemas, theatres and concert halls can stay open beyond 11pm in order to conclude performances that start before 10pm
• Public attendance at outdoor and indoor events (performances and shows) is permitted, limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors
• Public attendance at spectator sport and business events can resume inside and outside, subject to social contact rules and limited to whichever is lower: 50% capacity, or either 2,000 people outdoors or 1,000 people indoors
• Places of worship remain open but you must not socialise with people from outside your household or support bubble while you are indoors there, unless a legal exemption applies
• Organised outdoor sport, and physical activity and exercise classes can continue
• You can continue to travel to venues or amenities which are open, but should aim to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible
• If you live in a tier 2 area, you must continue to follow tier 2 rules when you travel to a tier 1 area. Avoid travel to or overnight stays in tier 3 areas other than where necessary, such as for work, education, youth services, to receive medical treatment, or because of caring responsibilities. You can travel through a tier 3 area as a part of a longer journey
• International travel can occur subject to FCO guidance and air corridor requirements

• People must not meet with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
• People must not meet in a group of more than 6 outside, including in a garden or other space
• Hospitality settings, such as bars (including shisha venues), pubs, cafés and restaurants are closed – they are permitted to continue sales by takeaway, click-and-collect, drive-through or delivery services.
• Accommodation such as hotels, B&Bs, campsites, and guest houses must close. There are several exemptions, such as for those who use these venues as their main residence, and those requiring the venues where it is reasonably necessary for work or education and training
• Indoor entertainment and tourist venues must close. This includes:
  • indoor play centres and areas including trampoline parks and soft play
  • casinos, bingo halls
  • bowling alleys
  • skating rinks
  • amusement arcades and adult gaming centres
  • laser quests and escape room
  • cinemas
  • theatres and concert halls
  • snooker halls
• ​indoor attractions at mostly outdoor entertainment venues must also close (indoor shops, through-ways and public toilets at such attractions can remain open). This includes indoor attractions within:
  • ​zoos, safari parks, and wildlife reserves
  • aquariums, visitor attractions at farms, and other animal attractions
  • model villages
  • museums, galleries and sculpture parks
  • botanical gardens, biomes or greenhouses
  • theme parks, circuses, fairgrounds and funfairs
  • visitor attractions at film studios, heritage sites such as castles and stately homes
  • landmarks including observation decks and viewing platforms
• Leisure and sports facilities may continue to stay open, but group exercise classes (including fitness and dance) should not go ahead. Saunas and steam rooms should close
• There should be no public attendance at spectator sport or indoor performances and large business events should not be taking place. Elite sport events may continue to take place without spectators
• Large outdoor events (performances and shows) should not take place, except for drive-in events
• Weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees – 15 people can attend wedding ceremonies, wedding receptions are not allowed, 30 people can attend funeral ceremonies, 15 people can attend linked commemorative events
• Organised outdoor sport, and physical activity and exercise classes can continue, however, higher-risk contact activity should not take place
• Organised indoor sport, physical activity and exercise classes cannot take place indoors. There are exceptions for indoor disability sport, sport for educational purposes and supervised sport and physical activity for under-18s
• You can continue to travel to venues or amenities which are open, but should aim to reduce the number of journeys you make where possible
• Avoid travelling to other parts of the UK, including for overnight stays other than where necessary, such as for work, education, youth services, to receive medical treatment, or because of caring responsibilities. You can travel through other areas as part of a longer journey
• International travel can occur subject to FCO guidance and air corridor requirements