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18
Sept 2020
A 10pm curfew would be 'devastating' for Harrogate bars
Bar owners and managers have expressed concern about the possibility of lockdown measures including curfews being introduced, as warnings have been issued around North Yorkshire.
Other areas of the country have seen a 10pm curfew introduced on bars and a ban on people mixing outside their households, in an effort to curb rising infection rates.
While no such restrictions are in place in North Yorkshire, Scarborough and Selby are now on Public Health England's "watch list" because of their growing figures.
The Stray Ferret has spoken to some late-night bars in Harrogate about how this would impact their business.
Wetherspoons on Parliament Street is open for customers until 1am on Thursday, Friday and Saturday and until midnight every other night. Claire Demain, a shift leader at Wetherspoons, told the Stray Ferret that another lockdown would be "catastrophic".
Mojo bar on Parliament street is another to express the "devastating" impact a 10pm curfew would have on business.
James Hudson, a spokesperson for Mojo, told us:
Read more:
- North Yorkshire bosses call for “greater vigilance” following a rise in cases in Harrogate
- North Yorkshire declares covid emergency
However, not all bars are totally against the curfew.
Jay Smith, who has owned Montey's bar since 1996, told us that it wouldn't be "the worst idea in the world".
Montey's currently closes at 2am, though before COVID it was open until 4am. Mr Smith said:
With Scarborough and Selby now on Public Health England's covid watchlist after an increase in cases, Dr Lincoln Sargeant, director of public health at North Yorkshire County Council, has urged people to be vigilant and follow the rule of six.
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