Police are urging residents to continue to stick the rules after a large number of fines were issued in the first month of lockdown.
Since lockdown began on 4th January, a total of 685 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) have been issued by Cheshire Constabulary.
Over the last weekend alone (Friday 5th to Sunday 7th February) 116 FPNs were issued across the force.
Of this figure, 15 FPNs were issued following a party at an address in Alderley Edge which had been hired through an online booking site.
Officers attended the address at around 8.30pm on Saturday 6th February and spoke with a man who claimed everyone inside was from the same household.
On entering the property, officers found balloons, party banners and alcohol. It was clear that not everyone in attendance were from the same household and that this was a blatant breach of the lockdown restrictions.
Officers explained the lockdown rules to all those inside but some attempted to hide away in cupboards to avoid engaging with police.
Elsewhere, five fines were issued for a party at an address in Crewe, two fines were issued after people from different households were out without reasonable excuse in Widnes and three fines were issued following a gathering at a property in Warrington.
Assistant Chief Constable Jenny Sims said: "While the majority of Cheshire residents are abiding to the rules, there are still a minority who are bending and blatantly breaching restrictions which are in place to save lives.
"Officers are risking their own health to protect Cheshire residents from this deadly virus and when they are met by blatant and repeat breaches they will enforce without delay.
"There are many more people in hospital with the virus during this lockdown than at any time during the pandemic. This is why it is so important that people continue to stick to the regulations, we will only get through this health emergency by us all doing the right thing.
"We know that most residents have been incredibly supportive and have assisted our efforts by staying at home and only leaving for the few exemptions outlined by Government. For that, I thank you."
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My article states "Of this figure, 15 FPNs were issued following a party at an address in Alderley Edge which had been hired through an online booking site".
I asked the police but they will not confirm the location of the premises where the party was held.
A police spokesperson told me "Unfortunately we wouldn’t be able to specify road names as it would identify where the property is. FPNs are treated just like parking tickets so we can’t release anything that could identify those involved."
Regards
Lisa
I believe most people are complying with this lockdown as they have been led to believe vaccines are the route out. Unfortunately the narcissists at Sage have moved the goalposts . One suggesting we will need to keep masks now for the rest of our lives (Jeremy Farrar) and one suggesting that we will need to remain locked down for most of the year (despite the majority getting their first 2 jabs) as a 3rd jab will need to be administered to cope with the Brazil/SA variant. That should be on stream in the Autumn. If other variants dont take over that is. If we do get stronger variants according to Sage our borders need to be closed for years and we will just have to get used to a new existence under lockdown. This is utter madness, how can anyone entertain any of these zero Covid strategies as the way forward...destroying young peoples hopes and dreams, millions of livelihoids. I must say I feel very despondent this week and have never been bothered at my age about dying (well into my 80s) but I do care about my Grandchildren. When the beds and wards are freed up in the NHS and numbers right down (which they are doing already) plus the vulnerable vaccinated is when we should come out of lockdown. If there is anyone in Alderley who agrees with the various Sage voices on staying locked down all year ir well into the future please tell us why you want that and why you would think zero Covid is necessary.?
SAGE scientists are allowing themselves to deliver a lot of conflicting Press interviews (some individuals are sharing a very gloomy prognosis) and yet the key (very unscientific words) such as "could", "might" and "possibly" are bandied around with merry abandon . All they are doing is sowing the seeds of despair and gloom. This is lapped up by the MSM who are desperate for "Clicks". Interesting to see many BTL commenters in the Times Online have changed their tune over the last few months many exhorting tougher lockdownsin the past and are now wanting out by May. There is genuine despair and bewilderment at being told that vaccines are now not the guaranteed route out of lockdown and we must be prepared to live this way for years. To use the modern parlance.. are the British public now being "gaslighted" en masse like an abused Spouse/Partner?
I had always figured the vaccines as our route to normality plus lower ITU take up in the NHS (and this is widely shared by our Medical Community) . My nephew is a Consultant at Adenbrookes Hospital and he and his colleagues feel that their are some on SAGE with an agenda, and some who want Zero Covid at all cost. Those who support this dangerous strategy are a strange mixed bag (aside from the obvious big boys like Amazon and Netflix plus other huge online retailers etc who have profited immensely from Lockdown policy and they would of course lobby to keep us in locked up forerver).
Reading also in the Guardian comments this week I discovered a few who said they are loving Lockdown and WFH and never want to go back to 2019( how very thoughtful and sensitive to those who have lost homes, job, businesses education,and not seen Loved ones for a year.) In their cosy little Lockdown Club a few revealed that they love Lockdown because they are OCD or Introverts. One hailed 2021 as the Year of the Introverts and he said he hated going to face to face meetings with new clients and that he NEVER wants to go back to that ( perhaps he should stop duping his Employer and colleagues and look for a new career) and went on to exclaim that "extroverts had had their way for too long now." Anyway it was most enlightening and most depressing yet these are the voices shouting loudest to keep us in perpetual lockdown. The Press are getting a 25% financial "help out" from the Government to make up for the loss of advertising revenue so I can see why they toe a particular line....but that is not good journalism. Why is NO ONE in our MSM asking for a full Economic Impact assessment...we are being led down a long dark tunnel with no hope.
Forgive my emotive post , COVID has now encroached on my own family . Charlie tested positive and has been in Wythenshawe for nearly 3 weeks . For those of you who know him his health has deteriorated rapidly in the past 12 months and I’ve done my utmost to shield him , indeed his only car journeys were dropping me off at work , a quick shop ( whilst he stayed in the car ) or routine doctor/hospital appointments . Other than that he stayed at home . We absolutely stuck to the rules .
His hospital admission 3 weeks ago was non-COVID related , he tested negative on admission , yet on Tuesday night he tested positive . I had a meeting with doctors , and to be greeted by staff in full hazmat suits was very scary .
I am not by any means a kill joy ... Goodness me I’d love more than ever to have a jolly good get-together , and I’m the biggest hugger in the world !! Whilst common sense needs to prevail , and we’re on the whole quite intelligent , I implore people , for now , stick to your social bubbles , as I would absolutely hate anyone to go through what’s happening to my best friend and husband right now .
Keep safe ... Love H&C xx
You encapsulate exactly why it's imperative that we all follow the rules, disagreeable (and much worse than that for some) though it is for our lives to be put on extended hold. But there is now light at the end of the tunnel.
I sincerely hope Charlie is soon back with you, safe and well. My very best wishes.
Vince
I sincerely echo Vince’s thoughtful words and wish Charlie a speedy recovery.
I can’t see how there can be any confusion in this - as thoroughly boring as the lockdown is, it’s quite obvious that it’s significantly reducing the numbers of those being admitted to hospital an subsequently dying.
If it means that I can’t go to the pub or on holiday for while longer then that’s absolutely a (small) price worth paying to protect our loved ones.
The vaccine will shortly get us to where we need to be and those who want to short-cut or circumvent the process will have blood on their hands
We aren't that far away from early December when the headlines were "Boriis Battles experts To Save Xmas". And then we end up with 117,000 deaths as of yesterday.
Listen to the experts;
Ignore the politicians.
Whilst officials in our Council , in Sage and our Government love pointing their fingers at the public and moving the goalposts on exit of this cruel lockdown, we like many others have obeyed every petty rule and stricture. Heeding our nephew's advice to avoid hospital we did NOT go outside the front door once in the snowy and icy conditions to avoid being a "fall" casualty. Our car has probably seized up as we are not allowed to use it. I would love to see our daughter in our garden for 5 minutes but it is against the Covid laws and there is a £10k fine to focus tge mind.
And yet a paid official of some fame ...Jackie Weaver is allowed to have Sky News plus Camera Crew sitting in her garden 4 days ago for an interview which could have been done on zoom.
I am utterly sick of the hypocrisy of the MSM who screamed for longer harder shut downs and yet they appear on our screens with neat haircuts or take trips to Antigua during the height of the second wave (Piers Morgan) Hypocrisy is a vile human trait. If we remain locked down until July as some so vocally want I hope the public go in for mass non compliance. Anyone who has been fined for having a family member in their garden in this current lockdown needs a rebate and apology immediately or the Police need to level up and fine Ms Weaver.