Don’t try to see family or friends this weekend
Police say they will fine those flouting rules before lockdown is relaxed on Monday
PEOPLE who try to see their families and friends this weekend will face police action, it has been warned, amid fears that the imminent relaxation of lockdown will prompt mass rule-breaking.
With temperatures expected to reach 26C (79F) today and tomorrow there are concerns that many people will pre-empt Monday’s change in restrictions and gather in parks and gardens to socialise and have barbecues, which have been given the green light by the Prime Minister for the next stage of lockdown.
Police last night reminded the public that gatherings of more than two people from different households and overnight stays were still banned, warning that they would fine anyone ‘Sorry we don’t have a garden. More tea, Mum?’
found to be flouting the rules. The coronavirus lockdown will be eased as Britain comes out of the sunniest spring since records began in 1929.
Devon and Cornwall Police warned that they had seen a rise in people travelling into the region to stay overnight. Assistant Chief Constable Glen Mayhew said: “Please remember that mass gatherings and overnight stays are still unlawful under Covid-19 regulations and where breaches are reported, we will respond and act accordingly.”
The force said that almost a quarter of the 1,000 lockdown fines they had handed out were to people travelling outside the area and that out of 50 fines issued last bank holiday weekend, 38 per cent were for overnight stays, including people using campervans and second homes.
In the Lake District, Assistant Chief Constable Andy Slattery of Cumbria Police echoed the warning and said: “We are still a long way from being ready to welcome visitors in the usual numbers and there are still very clear rules about what is and is not permitted. In particular we would like to stress that it is against the law to stay overnight, be that camping, motorhomes, boats or second homes, and the police will take enforcement action where this is going on.”
A Home Office source warned last night that if people breached the guidance this weekend, they risked putting lives in danger by reversing the progress that had been made in tackling the virus.
The source said: “If people don’t follow the guidelines this weekend, there is a risk of the R rate going up. The consequence of that is that we get back to a point where we overwhelm the NHS. The reason we are doing this is to save lives. We don’t want to get to a position where the opposite is happening.”
Boris Johnson announced on Thursday that groups of up to six people could meet from Monday, as long as social distancing rules were observed. The changes include allowing people to meet in private gardens, but No10 has admitted that officers do not have the power to police this effectively.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said: “Under the coronavirus regulations, police do not have the power to enter a home. They have the power to enter a home separately if they believe serious criminality is taking place, but in terms of the regulations it does not allow them to enter private properties.
“I’m sure that members of the public will show common sense and will want to abide by the rules. Police will have the power to enforce the regulations using the proportional and pragmatic approach they’ve taken so far.
The spokesman added that they hoped the public would stick to the rules over the weekend. “The current regulations are in force until Monday. I think the PM set out yesterday we’re enormously grateful for the efforts of the British public in sticking by the rules and getting the infection rate down and that does mean that from June 1 we will be able to allow people to have some more social contact in a safe and socially distanced way.”
Kim Mcguinness, Northumbria’s police and crime commissioner, criticised No 10 for the “mistimed” announcement.
AFTER weeks longing to see family and friends, people could be forgiven for their excitement when the Prime Minister said they could meet and share a barbecue.
But No 10 yesterday warned them not to jump the gun as the rules will not be relaxed until Monday – after a hot, sunny weekend that could yet be the biggest test of lockdown restrictions.
Boris Johnson’s decision to announce the changes on Thursday night was criticised by police, local authorities and tourism chiefs, who said it would make it difficult to maintain social distancing rules, with temperatures set to soar to 26C (79F).
Kim Mcguinness, Northumbria’s police and crime commissioner, said: “One of the hallmarks of the Government’s handling of this deadly pandemic has sadly been a series of mistimed and badly explained messages.
“By pre-announcing changes ahead of a weekend of sunshine, the PM must have known he was going to create a difficult situation for the police.
“The messaging looks like it was rushed forward to help ministers in a difficult position.”
From Monday, up to six people from different households would be able to meet in parks or gardens, so long as social distancing was maintained. Present rules only allowed meetings with one other person in a public space.
But even before his announcement, there was evidence that people increasingly were flouting the rules.
According to a study by University College London of 90,000 adults, “complete” compliance with Government recommendations fell in the past two weeks from 70 per cent of people to just over 50.
The City of London Corporation, which oversees Hampstead Heath, Epping Forest, West Ham Park, and Burnham Beeches, said there were reports of large groups, including one of more than 100, gathering during last weekend’s Bank holiday.
With millions working from home or on furlough, many began the weekend early yesterday, with pubs offering takeaway drinks. Alex Cochrane, 29, who works in business development, met friends for the first time in weeks in Victoria Park, London, for drinks. While he conceded the socially distanced get-together was “slightly premature”, he cited Dominic Cummings, the Prime Minister’s chief adviser.
“I went into isolation a little earlier than most as I was displaying symptoms, so I haven’t seen friends or family in months,” Mr Cochrane said. “I’ve had to cancel my birthday and holidays and I am desperate to see people.
“We have all made huge, huge sacrifices and it is slightly premature but frankly this Government lost any moral authority when the chief adviser of this policy drove half way across the country with symptoms. If I am asked why I’m leaving the house, I’ll just say I’m testing my eyesight.”
Elsewhere in the capital, Liz Bollinger, 32, met friends in a Twickenham park for a socially distanced drink. “We were strict at the beginning but I feel it is safe to do it out now,” she said.
“While it’s important we all collectively followed advice at the beginning, I stopped listening to updates a few weeks ago. I’m just deciding things for myself now. I know what’s best for me.”
Meanwhile, police in North Wales, where the National Assembly message until Monday was “stay at home”, said a police patrol had been flagged down in Snowdonia by people from Bolton who asked them to recommend places to visit. The officers told them, “home”.
In the Lake District, Richard Leafe, chief executive of the national park authority, said: “Please take heed of the current Government guidelines which state no overnight stays and only meeting with one other person from another household.”
Kim Forward, council leader at the seaside town of Hastings, said local authorities had not been consulted on plans to allow six people to meet.
Concerned about “the impact on our town”, she said: “We were not consulted about this or previous easings of the measures.” But the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “We’ve said that wherever possible we would give a period of notice in advance of changes being made, ideally 48 hours or more, which is true in this respect.”
No 10 said police did not have powers to enter gardens to check on the six-person rule or to use drones to monitor gatherings. Fines for breaches of lockdown have plunged in the past fortnight, with 1,019 in England, compared with 4,967 over the previous two weeks.