Open for Group Bookings

As you would expect under current COVID-19 regulations, we are operating sites at greatly reduced capacity so the sites that can accommodate group bookings of maximum 30 people per group (including guides, drivers etc) are:

Beaumaris, Chepstow, Conwy and Harlech.

PLEASE NOTE CAERPHILLY CASTLE IS CLOSED DUE TO A LOCAL LOCKDOWN AND WILL BE REVIEWED WEEKLY SO PLEASE DO NOT BOOK TOURS TO CAERPHILLY.

There is major conservation work happening in Caernarfon Castle and Tintern Abbey currently so unfortunately we cannot accept group bookings, however, we are reviewing the situation and will be in touch if this changes. We will update this list regularly as site capacities and regulations change so please look at website for updates.

To manage our new safety and capacity systems, we are having to cancel any current bookings and are asking tour operators to rebook through our Cadw Tour Operator Scheme website and book online as usual.

Book Here

One difference to the usual process is that you will be required to pay for the number booked and not the number arriving on the day. This is due to restrictions on numbers allowed into sites at any one time. We must receive all bookings at least three weeks before the visit to reserve the tickets.

Cadw has reduced its prices to the public and wants to support the travel trade industry, therefore, we are offering a further 25% discount on the attached trade prices for September and October 2020 tours. 

We can allow groups of up to 30 (including driver, guide etc ) to book tickets for our selected monuments. All groups must make an advance booking. You will be required to submit a risk assessment to Cadw to show us you are following the Welsh Government’s guidelines on group and public transport. See guidelines information and links below.

All visitors in the group must behave as individuals/separate households when in indoor areas of our sites and follow the normal rules on social distancing. This means they cannot gather indoors in a group for any reason.

 

Guidance and regulations

Anyone operating tours or visits into Wales will need to ensure that they and their clients comply with the latest* Coronavirus Regulations 2020 and guidance for tourism and hospitality businesses for a phased and safe reopening.  This must include a full risk assessment and consideration of all requirements including (but not limited to) social/physical distancing and our Test, Trace, Protect approach.  

In respect of transport, coach operators should follow the guidance that applies to public transport operators and ensure that they have undertaken a full risk assessment.  Note that three-layer face coverings are compulsory on public transport in Wales. Please also read the latest travel advice via Welsh Government coronavirus FAQ, and details provided by Transport for Wales.

In terms of group sizes, the Coronavirus Regulations 2020 limit any group outdoors to 30 people in total (including organiser/driver/guide etc.) provided certain measures are in place; this can include a mix of households (not limited to the same/extended household). All reasonable measures must be taken to ensure physical and social distancing from people outside of a household or extended household and other reasonable mitigating measures must also be taken in order to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus. Younger children (those of primary school age - aged 11 or younger) do not need to rigidly follow the advice to stay two metres apart. 

Indoor group visits are only permissible with members of the same household or extended households provided their entry indoors is staggered so as not to create a gathering of more than one household indoors.

 

Other Restrictions

To allow us to open safely, we have had to introduce some restrictions, such as a one way system, and timed entry at our monuments. This also means some of the attractions that visitors are used to seeing as part of their visit will not be available. We advise you to check before booking on the Cadw website cadw.gov.wales.

 

Health and Safety Provision

The health and safety of our visitors and staff is paramount and we have worked hard to minimise the COVID-19 risks at our historic sites:

• our front of house staff have received health and safety training in relation to COVID-19
• visitor safety guidelines are in place on site
• social distancing measures are in place on site
• hand sanitising stations are available for visitors and staff
• staff will wear face coverings and in some cases visors when interacting with visitors
• we have further increased our hygiene regime
• we will be managing visitor numbers in line with public health and safety guidelines
• some galleries/areas will be temporarily closed where social distancing cannot be implemented
• we have set up new routes, such as a one-way system.

All of our open sites have the Visit Britain Good to Go accreditation.

We are currently following the Welsh Government guidelines on face coverings, which insist on a three-ply face covering on public transport, but does not yet require face coverings at Cadw sites. However we encourage the use of face coverings, especially where social distancing is difficult to maintain, for the wellbeing of visitors and staff.

 

Test, Trace, Protect

We are supporting the Welsh Government strategy of Test, Trace, Protect which requires us to alert visitors if we believe they have come into contact with someone who has tested positive/is showing symptoms of Covid 19. We will allow group bookings only where the operator is supporting the Test, Trace, Protect scheme. If there is an incident which requires us to contact visitors from the group, we will pass the information to the group organiser.

We request that if anyone in the group is showing any of the symptoms of coronavirus, or if they have been in contact with anyone that has the virus in the last 14 days, that you don’t bring them to the monument, as you may be turned away to reduce risks to other visitors and our staff.

 

Explorer Passes

Current COVID-19 regulations around Track and Trace, coupled with online ticketed time slots at our monuments and reduced capacity means that we cannot guarantee the availability of tickets to multiple sites for the 7/14 day period of the Explorer Pass.

Cadw has therefore decided to temporarily withdraw the sale and redemption of all Explorer Passes and encourages all visitors to purchase Day Tickets online or through a tour operator (minimum three weeks in advance).

Cadw is able to offer a refund for any unused and unspoilt Explorer Passes returned from stock purchased in 2019.  If you wish to return Explorer Passes please inform cadwcommercial@gov.wales and forward to:

Commercial Team, Cadw, Plas Carew, Unit 5/7 Cefn Coed, Parc Nantgarw, Cardiff.  CF15 7QQ.

 

Due to reduced capacities we can only offer group visits at Beaumaris, Chepstow, Conwy and Harlech at the moment.

Please view our: Sites Reopening Schedule 2020 

PLEASE NOTE CAERPHILLY CASTLE IS CLOSED DUE TO A LOCAL LOCKDOWN AND WILL BE REVIEWED WEEKLY SO PLEASE DO NOT BOOK TOURS TO CAERPHILLY CASTLE.

Please subtract a further 25% discount on the below trade prices for September 2020 tours to the available sites: Beaumaris, Caerphilly, Chepstow, Conwy and Harlech.

 

NOTES: 1. Juniors aged 5 – 17 accompanied by an adult

 

Going Forward

As you can appreciate, the guidelines from Welsh Government are changing regularly, which means we may have to impose more, or fewer, restrictions than those outlined in this statement. We can take no financial or other responsibility if we have to cancel your booking visit due to COVID-19. We recommend you visit our website and the Welsh Government website regularly to advise yourself of the prevailing guidelines that are in force.

We look forward to seeing you and your clients again soon.

Cadwcommercial@gov.uk

Tel: 03000 257 182