Nottingham bans balaclavas in city centre, grants police on-spot fine powers

Starting September 15, Nottingham will enforce a ban on balaclavas, skeleton masks and comparable face coverings in its city centre, aiming to curb intimidation and anti-social conduct. Police and council officers are authorised to require removal of such coverings when they suspect the wearer is hiding their identity to commit a crime or act in a threatening manner, and they can issue on-the-spot fines of £70. Persistent violators may be subject to a criminal behaviour order that could prohibit them from entering the city centre indefinitely.

The policy includes exemptions for those wearing face coverings for legitimate religious, health, medical or work-related reasons. A public consultation gathered over 2,200 responses, with more than 90% backing the initiative, and police data showed over 180 incidents involving face coverings between June 2025 and June 2026.