Fresh warning to Cornwall to respect and protect the Duchy as lockdown eases
People are being urged to respect shop staff and those who work in hospitality
A fresh warning goes out to people in Cornwall as lockdown measures ease, to respect, protect and enjoy the Duchy.
Cornwall Council has issued the plea so that people can enjoy where they live or visit in a safe and responsible way, looking after ourselves, one another, and our environment.
“That includes respect for those who work in shops and hospitality. We’ve been working with businesses to provide you with the best possible Covid safe experience, so please don’t have a go at them if they ask you to protect them, other customers and yourself by wearing a face covering (unless exempt, washing hands, and maintaining social distancing. Then we can all enjoy and support our local businesses as high streets and outside hospitality venues reopen.”
Kevin Brader, Cornwall Council Community Protection Manager
“We should all respect our residents who are coming out of shielding, and others who may be feeling nervous about the easing of restrictions. We can help protect them and ourselves by sticking to the rule of six or two households, and only meet outside so we can enjoy being able to meet up with family and friends while ensuring the risks of covid are minimised. We can also protect each other by maintaining a two-metre distance from anyone we don’t live with. That could be while we’re socialising or queuing outside a shop. Keeping your distance from someone is important , because covid is airborne and it can transmit easily over shorter distances.”
Rachel Wigglesworth, Director of Public Health for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly
Pick up your litter and clean up after your dog __
“Please respect our communities and environment by being responsible and not littering, by picking up after your dog and by making sure that you dispose of your rubbish appropriately or take it home. We can all protect the landscape by ensuring we follow the Countryside Code, which sets out how visitors to rural areas can behave safely and responsibly, and enjoy our fantastic coastline safely by following the important advice issued by the RNLI.”
Donald Martin, Countryside Manager at Cornwall Council
In recent years, the Council has trained more staff members to issue fines against those who drop litter or allow their dog to foul without clearing it up.
Their teams will be out in the coming months and if they catch you dropping litter you could face a fixed penalty of £150 or £100 for not picking up after your dog.
They also regularly clean beaches and other public areas as well as empty bins and ask people to report full bins via the Council website.
“Respect staff and other passengers if you are travelling by public transport by maintaining social distancing and wearing a face covering (unless exempt). Think about how you travel and protect the environment by travelling sustainably and staying local. If you can, try to journey by foot or bike using one of our Active Travel maps for inspiration. Enjoy going somewhere different, there are so many brilliant places to visit in Cornwall - but if large numbers of people head to the same place, the car parks are full and it becomes difficult to stay safely socially distanced, seek out some new favourites away from the crowds.”
Cornwall Council Service Director for Transport, Vicky Fraser
Street performers to spread Covid safe messages
Local town and parish councils have done lots of work to help people feel comfortable and safely enjoy the new freedoms which have opened up.
Over the next few months one of the more entertaining ways to encourage people to do what everyone needs to do: stay socially distanced, keep our faces covered and our hands clean, is using street performers to spread the message.
Keep an eye out for and enjoy the team of stilt walkers who will be visiting many towns and local neighbourhood shopping areas across Cornwall to remind people to follow the guidance.
This is being arranged by the Reopening High Streets Safely Fund which is funded by the European Regional Development Fund.