Two more bars closed; others warned- COVID-19 Monitoring Unit

Officers from the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit closed a bar and a nightclub and issued warnings to three other establishments in breach of COVID-19 protocols following inspections last night and into this morning.

Director of the Unit Ronald Chapman said the unit that was  accompanied by police officers from Hastings Police Station, the closed two Christ Church establishments, the Tease Bar in Worthing, and the Cove nightclub in St. Lawrence Gap.

At the Tease Bar, where the operators had been previously warned, none of the patrons was wearing face masks.  At the Cove, several young people were partying in a confined space, and again, no-one was wearing face masks.

Chapman reminded the public that permission must be sought from the Unit for gatherings in excess of 500.

He said: “There were so many young people in the nightclub and the risk appeared so great, that we could not take time to count them.  Our priority was to clear the area as quickly as possible.”

Meanwhile, in addition to Christ Church, the officers also travelled to St. James, St. Peter, and St. Joseph to carry out inspections last night.  This resulted in bars in Sion Hill, Speightstown, and Sugar Hill being warned about infractions also related to non-compliance, in respect of mask wearing by both patrons and bar staff, the absence of face shields by bar staff, and the placement of stools at the bar. (BT/BGIS)