Visit Herts has postponed this year’s Herts Big Weekend.

The showcase of what the county has to offer was due to take place on Saturday, April 4 and Sunday, April 5.

The weekend is Visit Herts’ fifth annual celebration of the county’s tourism industry, and the event is run as part of English Tourism Week, which highlights tourism as one of the fastest growing sectors in the national economy.

As part of The Big Weekend, Herts residents were invited to bid in a ballot for hundreds of free pairs of tickets for a host of attractions and activities across the county, with the winners announced shortly before the event.

However, due to the coronavirus outbreak, Visit Herts has decided to put the weekend on hold with plans to go ahead with the event at some point in the future.

Attractions in St Albans taking place included the Cathedral with tours of the Norman Tower, historic walks with St Albans Tour Guides, and St Albans Clock Tower, which is now closed until further notice.

Sopwell House were offering tea for two, the Mercure St Albans Noke Hotel had overnight stays up for grabs, and Willows Activity Farm had offered family tickets for the ballot.

These are now all off this weekend.

In a message posted on the Visit Herts website, chief executive Deirdre Wells OBE said: “We know that there is a huge amount of uncertainty right now.

“We also know that the reason you usually come to our channels is for a dose of inspiration, a hint of escapism, and ideas on the very best ways to spend your free time across our county.

“Making a trip out of the house to explore will be difficult for many of you over the coming weeks, and we want you to stay safe.

“But, here at Visit Herts, we are still committed to sharing with you everything that’s great about our little corner of the world.

“We’ll be championing Hertfordshire’s independent businesses, keeping you up to date with great stories from our community – and above all else – continuing to share incredible photos from across the county which we hope will put a smile on your face.”

Visit www.visitherts.co.uk for more on Herts’ tourist attractions.