'Name and shame' Blackpool premises which flout Covid safety rules

Since the start of lockdown council enforcement officers have ordered 10 businesses in the town to close after they failed to stick to rules to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

They include hotels, a bar, a restaurant and a barber shop, with reasons including customers being allowed to sit down and consume drinks at a restaurant when it should have been takeaway service only.

Some premises were shut down when they tried to trade prior to their lockdown ending.

A town hall report says enforcement teams have worked with the police to hand out advice “whilst at the same time backing this up with robust interventions.”

It adds: “This has led to a number of premises being closed, some voluntarily, some – we are sorry to say – by statutory notice, where premises were flouting the law and endangering public health.

“Indeed we believe that the first statutory closures in the country occurred here in Blackpool.”

Coun Gary Coleman told a meeting of the full council held on Zoom that premises which put the public in danger should be identified.

He said: “Some premises were closed down by statutory notice as they weren’t adhering to the guidelines and were operating in a manner that was not safe.

“I appreciate them being closed, but do we not think we should name and shame them so now places are opening up, people can safely make their choices of where they want to frequent or shop.”

Coun Jim Hobson, cabinet member for environment, said he “quite liked the idea”, but said the council would have to know where it stood legally before taking such action.

The council report said enforcement officers would continue to ensure businesses operated safely as lockdown eased further, and had gained additional powers to work with the police to shut down illegal raves across the Fylde coast if needed.

Court injunctions, deploying security teams and using closure notices to move on dangerous individuals had also been used.

Officers are now also working with Public Health to deliver the council’s test, track and trace campaign.