Turn back if beaches are too crowded
IF beaches are packed over Easter one West council is urging visitors to turn back.
People heading to North Somerset’s coast and beauty spots over Easter are being urged to act responsibly as Covid restrictions begin to ease.
With the weather set fair, North Somerset Council says it is expecting an influx of visitors to the area – especially the coastal resorts of Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon – over the Easter weekend. Council bosses are urging those who do visit to act responsibly and ensure they adhere to Government lockdown guidelines still in place.
The message comes after seaside resorts were swamped by visitors last year after the first Government lockdown eased.
Their arrival sparked concerns about lack of social distancing and the amount of litter left overfilling bins and strewn around beaches and beauty spots. Council bosses say that as well as sticking to the rules, people should also plan their visit – and use online tools to see how busy popular areas are ahead of making a journey.
They are also urging people to park responsibly and ensuring they have a plan B if they arrive to find their location is really busy.
North Somerset Council leader Councillor Don Davies said: “Easter weekend is usually an extremely busy time for popular locations across North Somerset and people need to act responsibly.
“We now have more freedom to travel locally so that, combined with finer weather, may put more pressure on beauty spots and popular destinations – especially those without the infrastructure to cope with people in larger numbers. Over Easter people’s choices for things to do will still be limited – no shops, pubs, eating out, attractions or overnight stays – so I think it’s reasonable to expect more pressures in certain areas.
“We would urge people to think about how they can minimise the risk to others at this difficult time and also how they can avoid putting a strain on the resources available at their chosen location.
“It is important that we take things in a slow and measured way and we must all play our part.
“By doing this we can hopefully look forward to greater freedom in the summer.”
North Somerset welcomes millions of visitors each year, pumping billions into the local economy.