Coronavirus: Don’t go to Blackpool for a ‘last blast’ before lockdown is tightened, police warn
Written by News on 19/09/2020
Lancashire Police has warned people against heading to Blackpool for one “last blast” ahead of new lockdown measures in the county.
While Blackpool itself has not been added to the list of places in Lancashire subject to new regulations, there were pleas from police and healthcare officials for people to stay away.
Residents in most of the county are going to be banned from socialising with people outside their own household or support bubble in private homes and gardens.
There will also be a curfew on hospitality venues between 10pm and 5am – and people are being urged to avoid public transport unless it is essential.
Lancashire Police’s Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods said: “There will be an enhanced police presence out this weekend.
“I’m hoping that we won’t have any extra issues as a result of the new regulations – a ‘last blast’ for want of a better word.
“My big plea around this would be: there’s regulations and then there’s a common moral sense duty to us all who live in Lancashire about protecting yourself and your family.
“This isn’t about having a last blast – this is actually a moral responsibility each of us have got to look after ourselves, our families, our friends and our communities.”
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Mr Woods also warned that the small minority of people who deliberately flout the rules “can expect action”.
He added: “We can remove you, we can ask you to go home, and at the higher end, you can expect fines.”
Dr Sakthi Karunanithi, the director of public health for Lancashire, also encouraged people in Blackpool to follow the guidelines for the rest of the county despite it not being legally enforceable.
He revealed that 50% of the cases seen recently have been in people who are aged 30 and under – and he stressed that this is affecting all communities, not just people from a South Asian background.
The new rules do not apply to Bolton or Greater Manchester, where separate restrictions are already in place.
(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Don’t go to Blackpool for a ‘last blast’ before lockdown is tightened, police warn
