Welcoming you safely – our response to the Government’s easing of COVID-19 restrictions in England  

 Following the UK Government’s latest announcement regarding the official lifting of COVID-19 legal restrictions in England from 19 July 2021, Chiswick House & Gardens continues to be committed to prioritising the safety of our staff, volunteers and visitors.  

Like many other visitor attractions, we’ve been working hard throughout the pandemic to ensure that everyone feels safe and comfortable when visiting us. We know how much our decision to keep the Gardens open throughout the lockdown in England, but have always remained conscious that the safety of our visitors, staff and volunteers has been of primary importance. Recent visitor sentiment research, commissioned by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) shows that a significant majority (75%) of the visitor-attraction-going UK public are not yet ready for social distancing and other measures to be removed or eased.  

As such we will exercise additional caution and maintain key COVID-19 safety measures in accordance with industry best practice and guidance issued by ALVA. Areas of Chiswick House are small, enclosed areas and this makes retaining some of our safety measures inside our buildings even more important. We’re also listening to feedback from our visitors, staff and volunteers who tell us they would feel more comfortable if some safety measures remain.  

From 19 July, we will:  

• Continue to operate at reduced capacity in Chiswick House, the Café and Garden Pavilion in order to avoid large crowds. 
• Advise visitors to book their tickets online in advance. This enables us to safely manage hourly capacity, especially during the busy summer season. Tickets are available for purchase from the Ticket Desk and Conservatory for any walk-in visitors. 

• Request visitors to wear a face covering indoors across Chiswick House, the Café and the Garden Pavilion, unless exempt. Our staff and volunteers will also continue to wear appropriate PPE, including face coverings. 
• Encourage visitors to maintain social distancing where they can and be mindful of others health and safety. 
• Encourage visitors to check in using the NHS Covid19 App. 
• Continue our enhanced cleaning regime and encourage the use of hand sanitiser. 
• Maintain Perspex screens where installed. 

• Continue to operate cash free payment, encouraging contactless payment wherever possible. 

 We hope that visitors will support our position, which is committed to ensuring that everyone has a safe and enjoyable time when visiting Chiswick House and Gardens. We will continue to review our operations and adapt these measures gradually and steadily in accordance with latest public health guidelines.