These ‘mixed message’ rules are ‘backwards’
Councillor questions government strategy but believes clampdown is necessary
AHYNDBURN Conservative councillor has labelled the imposition of increased restrictions on the borough as “backwards”.
Coun Josh Allen told the Observer a clampdown was “definitely needed” in response to rising coronavirus cases, but questioned the strategy of the government as certain sectors of the economy have been reopened.
Coun Allen told the Observer: “It’s not there to please everybody - it had to happen, but I do think there has been a few mixed messages going out.
“It’s wrong that you cannot go to your elderly father’s house, but you can go to the pub - and that’s coming from a pub owner.
“Some of the rules do seem to be a bit backwards and it needs to be questioned whether what is being done is right.
“I do think potentially it’s come at a bit of a bad time with Eid being around the corner. Many Muslims spend a lot of time preparing for Eid and a lot of stuff has been paid for and all of a sudden they’ve been told ‘no, you can’t do it’.
“You cannot go in the garden or house, but can go to the pub or shopping. It’s quite frustrating for people.”
Coun Allen said he did feel overall that some restrictive measures were needed to halt the risk of a Covid-19 second wave following rising incidences of the virus.
He also said there were a lot of “myths” about mask wearing, pointing to members of his own party ripping up their membership cards in response to masks being made mandatory in some settings.
“Cases are still rising and it’s not going away as early as they were hoping,” he said.
“Something was needed to come in place to help curb the rising numbers we are seeing across East Lancashire. We have to be extremely careful.
“At times like this there are no winners. Everyone’s an expert at the moment in pandemics, but unless you’re in the room with government and advisers telling them what’s going on then you don’t know what’s going on.
“It’s the right thing, but more measures are needed to be put in place to prevent the spread.”
Coun Allen, who runs the White Bull pub in Oswaldtwistle, added that the pandemic had, for the first time he could remember, dealt a sectorspecific recession to the hospitality industry.
He said the half price Eat Out to Help Out in August government scheme, which came into force this week from Monday to Wednesday, was helping to get food businesses back on their feet after a troubled few months.
But he said local, independent businesses should be benefiting - rather than the big corporations and chain restaurants that can offer prices which independents cannot afford to match.
“I can see a big flock to bigger businesses like McDonald’s and KFC and Wetherspoons,” he said.
“[The government] should have pushed it for small businesses. We have had quite a few bookings for the first two weeks, but we’ll only be doing it on Wednesdays. I expect a few pubs in my ward to really struggle against pubs which have food.
“It’s about reassuring people that it’s safe to go out, and putting all the measures in place to make sure they are enjoying themselves. It’s mostly the younger people coming in at the moment.”