People living in a Welsh seaside town say they were shocked at the numbers of visitors flocking to the beach to eat fish and chips and soak up the sun on the weekend, despite repeated warnings to avoid social gatherings because of coronavirus.
Porthcawl was bustling on Saturday with people appearing to ignore government guidance on reducing contact with other people. Although many pubs and restaurants closed following a call by Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday, many other businesses remained open offering a takeaway service, in line with government guidance.
People in the town said many crowded the seafront chip shops, ice cream parlours, cafés and sat outside closed pubs drinking beer bought from local shops. The scenes made many local businesses rethink their approach and many in the town decided to close on Sunday. Porthcawl was not the only place busy on Saturday, as these pictures show.
Booths Cafe Bar near Grand Pavilion and overlooking Porthcawl Seafront was one of the businesses that shut yesterday following their experience.
"We decided to open yesterday because we're a takeaway. We took the tables and chairs away and asked customers to keep a distance apart which people did follow, we were very careful," said Candice Booth who works at the café with her mum, Anne-Marie Booth, the owner.
"You could say it was a bit like a normal holiday. Porthcawl thrives when the sun is out as a seaside town and people flock to the seaside. I found it was very busy and people were walking in large groups. We decided then last night that for the safety of the public and our community it was best to remain closed for the time being."
Candice said that she hopes now that the government will help self-employed people to get through the coronavirus crisis.
"It's time for the government to take it out of our hands, it's just a matter of time before they do. We didn't have to close but I think it's a sensible decision," she added.
Porthcawl appeared less busy on Sunday, though there were still plenty of people to be seen on the seafront.
Clear guidance was issued on Sunday by Wales's First Minister Mark Drakeford and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson. You can read it here in full but the following messages were spelled out:
- Don't travel and don't meet people — this includes on beaches and parks
- Social distancing includes avoiding all but essential travel
- These instructions will be enforced if people don't follow the advice
- A group of councils in west Wales told people: do not come on holiday here
Paul Scanlon, 55, lives on Porthcawl's seafront and his flat overlooks the promenade. He took pictures of people on Saturday.
"As a person in self-isolation for 12 weeks because of a lung disease, I was ashamed at the ignorance of people yesterday in Porthcawl. The longer the virus is about myself and many more like myself will have to isolate. I'm lucky I have lovely views, not everyone does. So, for the sake of all people take government advice, stay in and stay safe but above all stay sensible," he said.
Barry Island was also busy after government closes leisure facilities, bars and clubs:
Another resident said she was taking supplies to her elderly parents, who are self-isolating, in Porthcawl yesterday and was also shocked by the scenes.
"People were in clusters shopping in John Street (the main high street), young and old. Families, visitors and locals walking along the seafront. There were queues of traffic coming into Porthcawl from Bridgend and the M4," she said.
"I'm concerned about the increase in visitors and the danger this puts our local residents under, especially the vulnerable and elderly amid the current crisis. The more people that visit, the quicker Covid-19 spreads, posing a life threatening risk to our residents which will put a strain on local health board and the staff within it, emergency services and hospital beds."
Elaine added that she saw children stroking dogs, clusters of people and no public signs warning them not to congregate.
She praised community Facebook groups like 'We deliver Porthcawl' and 'Porthcawl community Covid19 strategy' for helping local residents cope with isolation.
Independent councillor for Porthcawl West, Sean Aspey, said: "I was quite shocked really and appalled at some of the crowds that were in town yesterday. They were outside fish and chip shops on the prom, there were motorcyclists outside a coffee bar.
"Some people were drinking outside one of the pubs although it was was shut. It has to change because we don’t know who has come, or from where. We know there’s hot spots in Newport and Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. If people are coming in off the M4 we don’t know if they’re not obeying social distancing. Fifty-five percent of this town are over the age of 60, that's around 8,000 people.
"If they were all to become unwell at the same time, there wouldn't be enough intensive care beds in the whole of Wales to accommodate them. Please, turn round and go home and walk in your local community. There are plenty of things you can do at a social distance and people need to adapt. It's not a public holiday."
Mr Aspey added that the Welsh Government should act to impose stricter measures and enforce closures of businesses.
Brian Jones, Independent councillor for Porthcawl East, also thinks more needs to be done to reduce the risk to Porthcawl's residents: "People are not responding to government guidelines so it's got to get stricter. Porthcawl is a visitor town, footfall will always be welcome but at this time people need to distance themselves as outlined by the government.
"It's a simple message - if you don't need to travel do not travel. You're only going to infect other people and take the virus back to your hometown."
Mr Jones did not blame local businesses for remaining open and noted that many were "struggling already" because of reduced footfall and high business rates, adding that many had made the decision to close on Sunday.
Clare Fisher took the this picture of cars bumper-to-bumper in Beach Road on Sunday afternoon.
"My main concern is people coming here from other towns. Social distancing isn’t lockdown, I get that, but the people of this community are being put at risk by people coming from other areas.
"They are infecting our shops, taking the little food left on the shelves and now our take aways are having to close because they are too busy - leaving residents with nothing," she said.
