Residents across the city back the new measure that will be enforced soon.
Nottingham is the first UK city to issue a ban of this kind (Image: Getty)
A ban on certain face coverings will soon be enforced across a major UK city. Balaclavas and “skeleton masks” will be banned in Nottingham as part of what the police are calling a crime crackdown. The city is the first in the UK to impose such a restriction, with Nottingham City Council leader Neghat Khan urging that residents should be able to go about their lives “without feeling frightened or unsafe”.
Police and community protection officers in Nottingham will have the authority to demand that the face coverings be removed where they have reasonable grounds to believe they are being used to hide an individual’s identity for criminal or antisocial purposes. Those who refuse to comply with the rule could face a £70 on-the-spot fine, while prosecution carries a maximum penalty of £1,000.
Cllr Khan said: “We are taking decisive action and becoming one of the first cities in the country to introduce a restriction of this kind. This is not about telling people what they can wear or targeting those who have a genuine reason for covering their face.
“It is about giving authorised officers the power to act where a face covering is being used to help conceal a person’s identity in connection with crime or antisocial behaviour, or where it is worn in a manner that intimidates, harasses, alarms or distresses others.”
Over 90% of the more than 2,200 residents who responded to a public consultation backed the measure. However, it does not ban all face coverings. Exemptions have been made for religious, cultural, health, work, weather and personal safety purposes.
Officers on the ground will judge whether a covering is being worn for a legitimate reason.
The ban is part of the police’s crackdown on crime and anti-social behaviour (Image: Getty)
Data compiled by Nottinghamshire Police recorded upwards of 180 incidents in the city centre linked to face coverings or balaclavas in the year to June 2026.
The ban is part of Operation Reclaim, a multi-agency initiative tackling youth antisocial behaviour, illegal e-bikes, drug dealing, rough sleeping, weapon carrying and retail crime across the city centre.
Nottinghamshire Police and Crime Commissioner Gary Godden said: “This restriction makes it easier for police and partners to stop crime and antisocial behaviour in its tracks by taking away the veil of anonymity that some people try to hide behind.”