£10,000 party fine ‘has saved city lives’
NEIGHBOURHOOD ‘QUIETER’ AFTER ACTION - RESIDENTS
RESIDENTS living in an area of Nottingham where there has been a dramatic increase in coronavirus cases believe a £10,000 house party fine has halted mass student gatherings.
A 19-year-old University of Nottingham student was fined £10,000 for holding a massive house party in Harlaxton Drive in Lenton on Friday, September 11.
The party was attended by around 50 people, with students apologising to neighbours for their behaviour.
The fine has not yet been paid, but Nottinghamshire Police said the student was still within the time period to pay it.
If he fails to do so, the 19-year-old will be sent to court.
Police said that since the fine was issued, no other fines have been imposed on students in Lenton and that the message had got through.
Kate Loewenthal, chair of the Lenton Drives and Neighbours Residents’ Association, who lives in the area, said locals were not “anti-student” but wanted to avoid a Covid19 outbreak.
From September 28 to October 4, there were 1,654 cases of Covid-19 across the city, most of them in the 20 to 29 age group.
From February 21 to October 4, there were 677 cases at University Park and Lenton Abbey and 201 in Lenton and Dunkirk.
Mrs Loewenthal told the Post: “It has quietened down because twothirds of Lenton are in lockdown and isolating.
“It has not been like it has been in previous years with massive house parties for the whole of the month.
“We would not have wished the £10,000 fine on anyone but I think it has potentially saved lives.
“People are very hesitant to do what they have done in previous years.
“There are a lot of nervous people living around Lenton at the moment with the massive surge in numbers.
“I think everyone has noticed it has been a lot quieter.
“A lot of houses are having to isolate now because they have got people who have tested positive.”
Carl Towner, 55, project manager for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, who lives in Harlaxton Drive, also said the area has slowed down.
“It has been quieter,” he added. “I think the fine did have some effect.
“I would concur that generally it seems calmer and I live in the middle of Harlaxton Drive.
“I am absolutely sure the fine was not engineered by the police at all.
“When faced with a weekend when it could have gone crazy, for that to happen on Friday, I think it meant the weekend was calm.”
Talking about the high number of cases in the Lenton area, he added: “It is high because we have a high student population. If you put a load of people in a confined space you are going to have incidents.” Neighbourhood Inspector Amy English, who covers the Lenton area, said the fine showed the force was “not afraid to act if people deliberately flout the rules and recklessly put other people’s lives in danger”.
She said: “Throughout this pandemic, we have consistently been using the four Es approach, which is to engage with the public, explain the rules and encourage people to follow them, and only use enforcement action as a last resort. “I want to thank the vast majority of local people who have followed
It has not been like it has been in previous years with massive house parties
Kate Loewenthal
the rules, engaged really well with us and worked with us to help prevent the spread of Covid-19 to keep everyone safe.
“We will continue to take a proportionate approach but, as we have already demonstrated, we are not afraid to act if people deliberately flout the rules and recklessly put other people’s lives in danger.
“Our message is clear – we won’t tolerate anyone flouting the coronavirus regulations and we will not hesitate to use our powers where necessary to keep our communities safe.
“We know that further restrictions for Nottingham and Nottinghamshire are likely to be announced by the Government next following a dramatic increase in positive cases of Covid-19.
“Along with our local authority partners, we are urging people to take urgent steps now – which is to not mix indoors with people from other households.
“This weekend Nottinghamshire Police will continue to be out in our communities and engaging, explaining and encouraging people to follow the regulations.
“Where people just won’t listen, and are putting everyone at risk, we will take enforcement action.
“I would also like to reassure the public that our priority, as always, is to protect the public and I would again like to thank people who have worked with us to make this possible.”