Nottinghamshire police chief urges pub-goers 'to manage expectations' as lockdown measures ease

Many venues across the county have re-opened their doors and are welcoming customers for the first time in months as lockdown measures continue to be relaxed in England.

However, premises are restricted to outdoor seating only and are offering a mixture of pre-booked tables and limited space for walk-in customers.

And Chief Supt Rob Griffin, head of local policing at Nottinghamshire Police, is urging pub-goers to be responsible as they head back to the bars – and encouraged them to manage their expectations ahead of the next landmark in the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown.

He said: “We are all excited at the prospect of another step towards normality and it will be brilliant to be able to sit with friends and share a drink after months of restrictions.

“That being said, and I cannot stress this enough – today does not mark the end of lockdown.

“Bars and pubs across the county will be operating under restrictions that drastically impact upon their capacity and while this is not an attempt to discourage people from attending licenced premises, I would urge everyone to manage their expectations.

“For example, the capacity at bars and pubs in the city centre will be far smaller than it was previously. It is worth bearing in this in mind before venturing into town without a booking.”

Chief Supt Griffin has also reminded residents to continue to follow Covid-19 guidelines as more restrictions are slowly eased – which has seen hair salons, gyms, shops and tourist attractions all re-open today.

“When retail reopened last time I was incredibly impressed with how shops managed queues and social distancing and I expect they are now well-versed in how best to operate,” he said.

“Extra patrols will be covering the city and county in anticipation of higher footfall and I would ask residents speak to officers if they have any concerns.

“As we have done throughout the pandemic, we will continue to follow our 4 E model of engage, explain, encourage and only using enforcement as a last resort.”