Scarborough Leader concerned borough will be placed into Tier 3

There is a concern that the Borough of Scarborough will be placed into Tier 3 restrictions after lockdown next month.

It comes from Leader of the Council, Steve Siddons, who is urging people to stick to the rules to reduce the spread of Covid-19.

Infection rates have been on the rise across the borough, with evidence suggesting it's down to local transmission and not solely on visitors.

Cllr Steve Siddons said:

"Visitors shouldn't come to the coast during this lockdown period; but what we shouldn't do is concentrate on visitors because from the evidence we've seen so far, it doesn't suggest visitors are the primary cause, it seems to be caused by local people transmitting locally.

"We don't want to make it appear that visitors are the whole problem, we don't want to demonize them, we just simply want to say 'look, if everybody just follows the rules and don't travel more than they need to, then we have every chance at reducing the problems we have got at the moment.'

"Back in March and April, people were very frightened because they didn't know how this would develop. We've managed to get through the summer and into the autumn and I suppose people may feel that it's not going to affect us, but clearly it is.

"We've had double the number of cases in a week and we don't know exactly what's caused that. There are a number of places in the borough where those numbers seemed to have increased significantly and we think they're caused by specific activity but that's not to say it's not spreading generally.

"If we don't get this under control by the 2nd of December, my fear is that if we go back to the tier system, then we'll be on Tier 3 in this borough; and that will mean continued closure of all the businesses that are closed at the moment and that's not good for anybody in the run up to Christmas.

"I think it's a question of common sense to some degree. It's about keeping away from other people who you're not close to and are not part of your family group. I think if we all follow that and wear masks wherever possible, then we have every chance of reducing the numbers and getting out of this dreadful lockdown."

Yesterday Scarborough MP, Robert Goodwill, said he is not worried about people and cars being on the seafront after several were out and about on the North and South bays over the weekend.

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In response, Cllr Siddons, said:

"The fact is is that I'm following the rules and I'm asking people to follow the rules that the Government have set out, that Robert Goodwill's Government have set out; and I think simply saying that crowds of people on the seafront not causing a problem seems a little bit disingenuous to me."