Covid: Burger vans 'can legally sell to rule-breakers'

Burger van owners can serve food to people breaking lockdown rules at beauty spots without themselves breaking regulations, a council says.

Wales is at alert level four, meaning non-essential travel is banned and exercise must start and finish at home.

One man spotted a burger van at a remote car park in the Brecon Beacons and posted it on Instagram.

Powys Council said such businesses are classed as essential, although customers could be breaking the law.

Dyfed-Powys officers carried out "high-visibility" patrols on Wednesday in a bid deter lockdown-defying visitors from descending on Wales' national parks.

It came after the force turned away scores of people from the Brecon Beacons on Monday and Tuesday.

North Wales Police said it was aware "large numbers of people are visiting areas such as Snowdonia".

Despite these efforts to keep people away, self-catering vehicles such as burger vans are free to continue to operate.

Asked by BBC Wales, a spokeswoman for Powys council said a "mobile catering unit" could legally operate at alert level four if they were only offering a takeaway service and with relevant permissions from the relevant national park and local authorities.

She added: "Therefore the owner of the unit would be allowed to travel to 'work', but those stopping to purchase refreshments could potentially be breaking the regulations if not travelling for one of these reasons. This would be a police matter."

The peculiar situation emerged after Instagram user Robin Masters uploaded a snap of a burger van in a snow-covered car park on Tuesday.

He wrote: "Nice to see some snow today up the Brecon Beacons, crazy to find a burger van in the middle of nowhere in a snowstorm! Bit of a lifesaver though."

Brecon Beacons National Park Authority has been asked to comment.

Dyfed-Powys Police urged people to make sure they are aware of and adhere to the lockdown rules in Wales.

In a statement, the force added it would only issue fines to those responsible for "those blatant breaches where engagement fails".

Wales' three national parks issued a joint statement on Wednesday urging people to stay away.

"The time will come again when we can all enjoy the beauty and diversity of our parks, and we very much look forward to welcoming you back when that time is right and it is safe for you and safe for our communities," said Tegryn Jones, chief executive of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.