01.04.21
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Know Before You Go
The gardens at Hever Castle are open.
From the 29th March, government guidance is to minimise the number of journeys you make where possible, avoiding travel at the busiest times and routes. Outdoor gatherings of either 6 people (the Rule of 6) or 2 households will be allowed, making it easier for friends and families to meet in the grounds.
Before you book or visit Hever Castle here’s some information that you should know:
What Will be Open & Closed?
Booking Tickets
Playgrounds
Food & Drink
Safety Measures
Cancellations, Refunds & Transfers
Accessibility
We recommend that you download a copy of the Map that includes the current one way system that is in place. An Easter Map that includes the Easter trail (2-18 April) is available here.
Enjoy your visit
Respect, Protect & Enjoy
Our COVID Secure Declaration can be found here.
What Will Be Open
• Gardens and wider grounds (including Woodland Walk)
• Lake Walk
• Playgrounds – Tudor Towers, Acorn Dell & Adventure Playground
• Water Maze
• Takeaway Food & Drink Service
• Click and Collect Shop Service (Shop reopens fully 12th April)
• Toilets (Moat Restaurant toilets will be closed)
• Archery (cash only, weekends and school holidays)
• Boating (weekends and school holidays)
What will be closed?
• Castle
• Yew Maze
• Miniature Model Houses
• Military Museum
Booking Tickets
Only Gardens Tickets are currently available.
• To visit the gardens, you will need to book a date and time slot for arrival online.
• You can currently only book 14 days in advance. Each day we will release an additional day until normal operation is resumed.
• Booking online is essential for all Members and Visitors but NOT for Bed and Breakfast or Medley Court guests. Please select the correct ticket type.
•Ticket Types
- Day Visitors – book here.
- Annual Members – book here.
- Existing Ticket Holders – read the terms and conditions, then book here.
- Partner Offer Holders – read the terms and conditions, then book here.
- Carers – read the terms and conditions, then book here or here.
• Each person in your party must have a time slot, including under 5’s.
• Anyone arriving at the garden without a booking will be advised to book on the next slot, subject to availability. You will not be allowed admission without a booking.
• Our usual T&C’s apply. See below for additional information.
These measures are necessary to manage visitor numbers to enable social distancing. Booking online also reduces contact for you and our staff making the environment safer for us all.
Partner Offers – RHS, Historic Houses, Tesco Clubcard and Gardeners’ World
The usual restrictions still apply for all partner offers. Please read these conditions before selecting your arrival time (see links below). Booking online is essential so that we can manage our daily visitor numbers to ensure that we are complying with government guidelines to enable social distancing.
Tesco Clubcard
RHS Member
Historic House Member
Gardeners’ World 2 for 1 Card
Existing Ticket Holders
If you are in possession of a hard copy Hever Castle Ticket that has been sent to you by Hever Castle, or won as partner a competition/raffle, booking online is essential so that we can manage our daily visitor numbers to ensure that we are complying with government guidelines to enable social distancing.
Please use the option for Existing Ticket Holders when making your booking. Please remember to bring your ticket with you otherwise you will be charged in full and may be refused entry.
Playgrounds
At peak times you will be required to queue for the playgrounds. Entry is on a first come first served basis. If the queue is full you will be asked to leave the area and return at a later time.
• Playgrounds are operated on a timed entry basis.
• Timed entry begins at 10:30 and length of the session varies depending on the day of the week and the number of people that have booked to visit.
• We let one group out completely before letting the next group in
• A whistle will be blown at the end of your session indicating the end of the play.
• Signage at the Playgrounds will indicate when the next session is due to start. You are welcome to wait in this area and answer the fun quiz that’s in place or visit the shop/café/toilets and return later.
• There is sanitiser at the entrance to the playgrounds. We will be cleaning regularly, however, this is a high contact area and visitors should consider this when deciding whether to use it.
Food & Drink
We are operating a reduced takeaway service. This is currently limited to hot and cold drinks plus some hot snack and dishes.
Picnicking is welcome again and picnic benches have been reinstated. In line with government guidelines, there will be no seating outside of our catering points until 12 April.
Water fountains are available, but these are for filling up water bottles only.
Safety Measures
When you visit, we will also have the following safety measures in place. Please respect the rules and guidelines for your own protection and the safety of others. Those that do not follow the guidelines may be approached by staff and may be asked to leave. Abuse of any kind will not be tolerated.
We promise to keep you feeling safe by:
- Restricting visitor numbers
- Providing a warm welcome at a distance
- Patrolling our site to monitor visitor activity
- Using one way systems to enable social distancing – download map
- Providing additional cleaning of facilities
- Staff will wear face coverings in line with current government guidelines
- Operating a cashless system
- Providing NHS Track and Trace QR Code poster for you to check in with
What we ask of you in return to show you care:
- Book an arrival time online
- Don’t forget to book for under 5s. They MUST have a ticket.
- Only exercising by yourself, with the people you live with, with your support bubble (if you are legally permitted to form one), in a childcare bubble where providing childcare or, when on your own, with 1 person from another household
- Keep two metres away from other visitors
- Follow the one-way system in the grounds
- Wash your hands for 20 seconds after using facilities
- Use hand sanitiser when necessary
- Check in with the NHS Covid-19 Track and Trace App and providing your contact details
- Take your litter home with you
- Wear a face covering where needed (exemptions apply)
- We urge you to go to the toilet before you leave home (although toilets will, of course, be open)
Cancellations, Refunds & Transfers
Our usual terms and conditions apply.
However, if you cannot attend due to contracting Covid or having to self isolate as a result of Covid, you can request to transfer your booking to an alternative date, or cancel your booking and apply for a refund. To do this please email cancellations@hevercastle.co.uk and include your booking reference in the email title together with proof of your diagnosis or requirement to isolate.
If you are an annual member and you cannot attend, please cancel your booking. Simply email cancellations@hevercastle.co.uk and include your booking reference in the email title; or phone us on 01732 865 224.
For any other enquiries concerning this matter please contact info@hevercastle.co.uk.
Accessibility
Our access statement has been amended because of the changes that we have had to make to enable social distancing around the site. Please see our revised access statement for more information.
2 wheelchairs are available for a refundable deposit of £25 at the Hever Shop. It is essential to book these prior to a visit. Please contact the Estate Office Mon – Fri (9am-5pm) by calling 01732 865224 or emailing info@hevercastle.co.uk.
To help our visitors with accessible needs enjoy a more memorable experience, we ask that they/you pay the normal entry fee and admit their/your carer free of charge on a 1:1 ratio. Please use the option for a Carer ticket when making your booking. Proof of disability will be requested on arrival, which may include a Blue Badge, statement of special educational needs from LEA or NHS, or a letter from a medical professional on NHS headed paper or a DLA letter from the Department of Work & Pensions. If you arrive without this information payment in full will be requested on arrival.
