FAKES NEWS
THE SHOPS THAT DEFIED LOCKDOWN LAWS
IT was the penultimate day of lockdown and across the UK, all non-essential shops were shut.
Except for in Strangeways.
Along Manchester’s notorious ‘Counterfeit Street’, it seemed to be business as usual for many.
The clothes shops along Bury New Road might have had their security shutters down, but most appeared to be trading as normal.
Shoppers crowded the pavements as a long line of ‘spotters’ stood huddled under umbrellas.
Their role is to drum up business and keep an eye out for any police or trading standards raids - of which there have been many in the past.
‘Yes brother’, said one, urging me to go inside as I walked past his shop.
At one store, we watched as a group of three women approached.
After a brief conversation, the shutters were lifted and they dipped inside, coming back out five minutes later with more carrier bags.
We spent two hours there on Monday, November 30, and saw dozens of shoppers - many without masks - entering store after store in a blatant disregard for the rules.
A week later, once national lockdown restrictions were lifted, we returned and went in the stores we observed.
All were selling apparently designer clothes and sportswear ranging from Stone Island sweatshirts to Christian Dior pyjamas.
In one store, we were offered a North Face puffa jacket for £25. In another, Ugg slippers, which normally cost about £80, were on sale for £10.
Just like in the first lockdown, only shops classed as ‘essential’ were allowed to stay open in the second lockdown. That includes supermarkets, chemists, newsagents, hardware shops, petrol stations, bike repair shops and takeaways, among others.
Clothes shops were forced to close until lockdown ended on December 2 because the goods they sell were not deemed essential. Business owners faced a £10,000 fine if they refused to comply with restrictions.
On June 28, during the first lockdown, 28 Strangeways stores were closed down after being caught selling fake goods and flouting social distancing restrictions.
They were given prohibition notices preventing customers from entering ‘for any reason’, following a police and trading standards operation.
In March, police seized a massive £7.5m-worth of fake goods during the
Shops have been closed for a reason, to prevent the spread of Covid-19
Coun Rabnawaz Akbar
COUNTERFEIT STREET
biggest ever raid on the area.
The haul - removed in two articulated lorries - included bogus YSL, North Face, Nike, Boss and Valentino clothing - plus cheap counterfeit perfume and aftershave.
We told Greater Manchester Police and Manchester council what we saw - and showed them our images.
This is what they had to say. Coun Rabnawaz Akbar, executive member for neighbourhoods at Manchester council said: “It is deeply frustrating to see illegal activity going on so brazenly. It is a slap in the face of everyone who has made sacrifices this year, all with the aim of keeping our communities safe.
“Shops have been closed for a reason, to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and bring the rate of infection in Manchester down.
“The past month of lockdown has been deeply traumatic for thousands of retailers, many of whom have borne the brunt of restrictions put in place due to the pandemic.
“The Cheetham Hill and Strangeways areas are well-known to the council and Greater Manchester Police and over the past few years we have made progress in the fight against sale of counterfeit goods.
“Shops have been closed, arrests made and millions of pounds worth of product taken off the
street.
“However,we cannot be everywhere at the same time, and more so than ever this year our teams have been stretched in response to the pandemic.
“But, our officers carry out regular patrols in the area to ensure businesses comply with new restrictions.
“We have served two prohibition orders in this area in the last week alone and will not hesitate to use the tools at our disposal to punish businesses that break Covid guidelines, and to protect the communities we serve.”
Insp Wignall, of GMP’s City of Manchester North division, said: “We are aware of some premises in the area which have appeared to not follow the national restrictions that have been in place over the past month, which a vast majority of businesses have overall complied with.
“We have been working closely with local authority and other partners including visits to premises which have caused issues during this period and, where necessary, have issued fixed penalty notices to those found to be breaching the Covid legislation in the neighbourhood.
“An arrest has also been made relating to a breach of Covid legislation in this area.
“Enquiries are under way... and action will be taken where necessary.
“Local neighbourhood officers continue to patrol the area as part of a dedicated patrol plan and have been responding to breaches in the area and we encourage anyone with concerns to contact police on 101.”