Officers from the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit inspected bars and nightclubs across the island last night and into this morning, closing two and warning three for infractions related to the COVID-19 protocols.
Director of the Unit, Ronald Chapman, reported that, accompanied by police officers from Hastings Police Station, the Unit 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.
Mr. 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.
