No time to be hanging out with hipsters

On Saturday one family decided to clamber in to the people carrier and hit the road.

They fancied a day at the beach and as it was one of those rare occasions when the sun was beating down on the Garden of England who could blame them?

Well, everyone actually. Especially Folkestone council, which took to Facebook to chastise them.

Because not only is it not the time for seaside trips, it is really not the time for them when you live 61 miles away in Bromley.

I’m not just saying that because while they were soaking up the rays in the hipster capital of Kent I was cooped up in my kitchen covering the latest headline news from across the county.

I’m saying it because

I would rather like the opportunity to escape from my kitchen for the government-approved hours exercise a day for however long this lockdown lasts.

The more people decide rules don’t apply to them the longer this goes on and the higher the chance of people being ordered to stay inside at all times.

Because like an angry supply teacher that’s what health secretary

Matt Hancock is now threatening - a blanket ban on all public exercise.

That would be disastrous for a lot of people who rely on getting out and about even for a very small portion of their day and personally I think the damage it could cause to the nation’s health and mental wellbeing may well outweigh the positive effects it will have.

But the only was to ensure it doesn’t happen is to do as you’re told.

Driving 10 miles to take your dog for a walk - and crashing on the way because and insect got in your car - is bad because it spreads what could be a localised outbreak to a completely new area.

So no more sunbathing in the park, no more barbecues with your neighbours and no more 121-mile round trips to the coast.

‘Like an angry supply teacher, health secretary Matt Hancock is now threatening a blanket ban on all public exercise’

The KM Group columnist with his own look at the world