Commissioner Thanks Those Involved in the Re-Opening of Hospitality Services this weekend in Cumbria

Various pubs, bars and restaurants opened their doors for the first time since March as part of the latest easing of the coronavirus lockdown and Police and Crime Commissioner, Peter McCall thanks those involved in keeping Cumbria safe.

Peter McCall comments: “As the county started the re-opening of the hospitality industry this weekend, the majority of people respected the safety measures that had been put in place and I would like to thank all those for their support of local policing teams, business owners and landlords.

“Various business owners planned ahead and had comprehensively adapted their premises to make social distancing possible, such a pre-booking tables prior to the evening and agreeing time slots in advance.

“On the whole, people behaved responsibly this weekend, respected measures that had been put in place and were mindful that many restrictions are still needed.

“I would like to thank all Police Officers and key staff who have been working hard to ensure compliance with government guidance during the easing of lockdown restrictions. Members of the public have generally been happy to comply with the rules when officers have engaged with them, they are after all in place for the benefit of us all.

“Although the government has announced some easing of restrictions and opening of services, it is vital that we must not undo all the hard work.

Chief Superintendent, Rob O’Connor commented: “We had an increased police presence out on Saturday in city and town centres to ensure the smooth reopening of venues.

“We’d like to thank those who behaved responsibly and followed the guidelines to ensure we all stay safe.

“We did see some incidents where we had to attend pubs and deal with crimes, but these were in low numbers. What incidents there were probably compares to an average Saturday night before the restrictions – certainly it didn’t compare to an event like New Year’s Eve or a major bank holiday.

“We did have a number of assaults and a number of arrests for suspected drink driving, as we unfortunately might expect on an average weekend, and those will be investigated as per usual.

“It’s been a challenging few months for everyone and we all understand many people want to return to having a night out. We would continue to ask people to follow the Government’s guidance to reduce the risk to everyone from Covid-19.

“Please continue to social distance, maintain hand hygiene and follow the instructions of staff in venues.”