Coronavirus: Council rejects call to close Blackpool to visitors

A petition calling for Blackpool to close to visitors for four weeks to protect locals from Covid-19 has been rejected by the town's council.

Resident Brian Perry said he set up the petition, which has more than 10,000 signatories, after seeing the resort "invaded by people" at the weekend.

The town currently has one of the highest infection rates in England.

Council leader Simon Blackburn said creating a local lockdown or closing the beach was "impossible".

Mr Perry said he had decided to start the petition as many of the visitors he saw "weren't socially distancing".

"We already have a high number of cases and people who live here are frightened of the virus escalating," he said.

"Some of the toilets aren't open, so where are they cleaning their hands?"

He added that the visitors had left the town "filthy".

The Labour-led council's leader said any closure would be contrary to UK law and current government guidance and "demanding the council do the impossible, like a local lockdown or closing the beaches, does the town and its residents a huge disservice."

He said the idea that anyone could "meaningfully barrier off or otherwise prevent access to seven miles of promenade or beach is demonstrably absurd".

Tourism body Visit Blackpool rebranded as Do Not Visit Blackpool to discourage visitors when lockdown restrictions were eased in May.

At the time, Mr Blackburn said the easing message meant there was "nothing we can do" to stop visitors, but he urged people to stay away.

The organisation has since changed again to Visit Blackpool Safely, which the council leader said "recognised government restrictions have been revised".

The town's two Conservative MPs Paul Maynard and Scott Benton both said visitors should stay away "for a little longer".

Mr Benton added that the behaviour of the visitors who had ignored social distancing and left the beaches strewn with litter was "unacceptable".

Public Health England figures show 643 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Blackpool, out of a local population of 139,446.

There have been 94 deaths in the town linked to Covid-19, as of 15 May.