Covid-19 Booking Policy
If you're unable to come to stay because of lockdown or tier restrictions introduced by the Government as a result of Covid-19, there will be no cancellation fees and whatever you have paid will be refunded. No questions no quibbles
COVID-19 Prevention Procedures
Your Safety is our Priority
We are pleased to announce we are fully open and have been welcoming guests and families since the end of lockdown. We’ll be making sure that your stay with us is as safe and normal as possible, whilst continuing to comply with Government guidelines.
We will of course continue to monitor the government and industry guidelines.
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If you have any questions in the meantime, please email us at reception@uppervobsterfarm.co.uk, or call the Farm Office on 01373 812166 or Michael on 07970 137999 and we will do everything we can to assist.
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Take care during these strange and changing times and we hope to see you soon.
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Last update: 1st October 2021
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Frequently asked questions
You will no doubt have questions about your stay with us, or future bookings that you may be considering during this time. Despite the fact the situation is constantly changing, these are our recommendations for what to do if you have booked or wish to book a stay at Upper Vobster Farm and what happens if you or one of your party feels unwell and / or contracts Covid-19 whilst staying at the Farm
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We continue to clean to the highest standards so as to minimise the risk of spreading Covid-19 and use assessments and cleaning checklists developed by the Professional Association of Self Caterers.
If you fall ill or suspect that you have Covid-19 or test positive for Covid-19 you should ensure that you adhere to government restrictions.
We will discuss the options available to you including the advice that you should:
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Immediately self-isolate where you are
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arrange an NHS test as soon as possible
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Return home if you reasonably can
Returning home may not always be possible. If this is the case and it is possible to extend your stay, we will inform you of the costs involved and what we can do for you.
If you choose to return home you are advised to use private transport but only if you can drive yourself safely.
If you cannot reasonably return home and cannot self-isolate in the property, we will arrange for you to discuss your circumstances with an appropriate healthcare professional.
If you self-isolate in the property we will:
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Inform you of any relevant safety measures that we will take and ensure that you are familiar with the guidance on possible or confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) infection which you should follow.
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Discuss practical measures with you, such as changes to meal and laundry provision.
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Require that you do not leave the property, except in a few specific circumstances
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Can I still go on my holiday in the UK?The simple answer is Yes if you are going to self catering accommodation. Since 19th July 2021 there are no longer any restrictions on where you can stay or how many households can stay together in one cottage.
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Do I need travel insurance for the UK?It's always advisable to have travel insurance and if you’re thinking about a ‘staycation’, you should always consider taking out UK holiday insurance, just as you would consider doing so for a holiday abroad. Although you may not need to worry about medical cover, because you’ll still be able to receive NHS care and treatment, you may still want to be covered for things like cancellations and baggage loss or damage. Check to see if the insurer will cover you for Covid-19. If you're coming from overseas you should have travel insurance as normal.
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What reassurance can you give me about coming to Upper Vobster Farm?We’re following the Government’s Guidelines to safeguard the overall health and safety of our guests, visitors and staff. The measures we have implemented include introducing social distancing and the wearing of face masks when and where appropriate, providing hand sanitisers and anti-bacterial hand wash wherever we can, extra time spent deep cleaning and sanitising all the properties and work-spaces, limiting high contact points around the farm and reducing contact with others when and where applicable. All visitors are required to sign in and we record staff and visitor temperatures daily. It is no longer a legal requirement to display an NHS QR code poster. However, we continue to display printed and laminated posters SPECIFIC TO THE PROPERTY THAT YOU’RE STAYING IN, which are prominently displayed. You will need to download the app on your phone before you can scan the QR code. You will then be kept updated with information about anyone with whom you may have been in contact who has, or who has had, symptoms of, Covid-19. It is up to you if you wish to scan the code. Our policies are reviewed as and when needed in line with any government advice as it is issued. If you have to cancel because of Covid-19 restrictions we will transfer your booking to another date or refund any monies paid, whichever you prefer. If you (or a member of your party) are unable to travel because you (or a member of your party) fall ill with Covid-19 or are required to quarantine or self-isolate we will assume that you have taken out adequate travel insurance and technically this would mean that no refund would be payable. However, we do recognise that this is not always possible and in these circumstances we will see if we can re-book you for an alternative date or refund whatever you have paid less a charge to cover our administration and preparation costs. The amount of charge depends on which property you are staying in so please refer to the Terms and Conditions for your selected property.
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What happens if Government guidance affects my decision to travel?If you're unable to come to stay because of lockdown or tier restrictions introduced by the Government as a result of Covid-19 or if you feel you cannot or do not wish to travel to one of our cottages as a result of Government Guidelines there will be no cancellation fees. There are two options. The first option is to transfer your booking to a later date. The second option is that you ask us to refund you what you have paid and we will arrange this for you.
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Do you have any further advice to share?Please be aware and be responsible – in the interests of your own health and wellbeing, as well as that of others, it is important that you follow the latest Government advice and guidelines and check for any local restrictions before you travel. If in doubt, call us. We're here to help.
What we are doing to keep you safe
​Increased sanitisation - We are deep cleaning and disinfecting our properties before your arrival, taking extra care to ensure that all high touch areas are thoroughly sanitised. We are increasing the frequency of hand-washing, using appropriate PPE to ensure there is no cross contamination and changing this for each property cleaned. In addition we have implemented additional staff training to increase and ensure awareness at all times.
Bed Linen and Soft Furnishings – All bed linen will be washed at a temperature of at least 60 degrees and ironed with a steam iron. All other soft furnishings will be steam cleaned, including carpets and sofas. All other furniture will be treated as high touch areas and cleaned accordingly.
Reducing items/products in properties – It may seem that your cottage is a little bare. Since opening up we have re-introduced a number of soft furnishings and more are planned but we are always conscious of minimising risk.
Space – You are staying in one of our unique self-catering properties which has the added bonus of being able to stay relatively isolated from anyone else who is staying or working on the farm. Plus, there is plenty of space to walk outside and still keep your distance from others.
Help and Assistance – If you do require any help whilst you are here, you can call us on the Office landline 01373 812166 or on the Farm Mobile out of hours 07563 945237.
Here’s what we are asking of you:
​Please wash your hands with soap or alcohol based hand rub before entering the property.
DO NOT TAKE YOUR HOLIDAY IF YOU ARE FEELING UNWELL. If you feel unwell whilst you are here, please seek medical advice if required and also let us know. Cover your nose and mouth with a disposable tissue or flexed elbow when you cough or sneeze.
Please respect everyone’s personal space and social distancing measures.
We are all doing our best – please be kind and respectful to our staff and all other visitors to the farm.