Owners and patrons of licensed premises are being urged to follow the rules and act responsibly ahead of England’s Euro 2020 quarter final on today.
Cases of Covid-19 are on the rise in Staffordshire with many positive cases being linked to people gathering to watch football matches.
Hospitality settings must comply with Covid-19 regulations to host customers safely and minimise the risk of transmission. Earlier this week, the county council extended an initial 48-hour closure notice on Tamworth Sports Bar to the 12 July, after the bar had voluntarily closed its doors on Tuesday.
Director for Health and Care, Dr Richard Harling, said: “People gathering to watch the England games in pubs and bars allows the virus perfect opportunity to spread, especially if safety measures are not being enforced or followed.
“If venues are found to be flouting the rules, we will come down hard and take the necessary legal action to ensure they do not risk increasing the spread of infection in our communities.
“It’s great that England are doing well at a major tournament and we want people to be able to enjoy this safely, but the only positive results we want on Saturday are on the football pitch.”
People should always follow the rules and social distancing guidance in place at venues and wear a facemask when appropriate. Residents are also encouraged to check they’re not carrying the virus by getting a rapid coronavirus test before going to pubs and bars to watch the football.
More information on how to get a test can be found at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/testing
