Pleas to 'stay away' remain as visitors continue to arrive at coast

People were queuing 40 minutes for the disabled toilet in the car park in Skegness. Photo:John Byford.

In spite of repeated calls by East Lindsey District Council for visitors to stay away until it is safe because of the Covid-19 virus, many have chosen to ignore the pleas - facing closed car parks and toilets on arrival.

The local authority and businesses have been left with a dilemma since the Government eased restrictions, allowing people to travel, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson described as. "'the first, careful steps' to ease Covid-19 lockdown."

Maintaining the 'Coast is Closed' has resulted in some issues. At one disabled toilet open in Skegness there was a 40-minute queue and the Standard has received reports from further up the coast in Anderby Creek of cars filling the Lincolnshire County Council car parks which are open, residents being blocked in their homes by other vehicles and visitors urinating in gardens.

Visitors flocked to the beach in Anderby Creek.

However, for now East Lindsey District Council is standing firm that people should stay away until more preparations are in place to ensure everypne's safety.

When Coun Craig Leyland, leader of East Lindsey District Council, addressed the changes to the lockdown measures he said: "“I know that this will have left many thinking about travelling to our District, in particular the Wolds and Coast.

“Both locations do provide open spaces for exercise but for the time-being we are asking people not to rush to visit the area - car parks are closed and tourism businesses such as caravan parks, hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants and attractions are all closed.

“Our priority continues to be limiting the impact that Coronavirus has on our communities and our vulnerable residents and in line with Government guidance we’d encourage people to stay at home as much as possible.

Cars parked in Anderby Creek village were stopping people from leaving their homes.

“You can do this by giving us time to help prepare the district to safely receive visitors again.

“We are working on measures, including things like updated car parking information, to ensure that people who visit East Lindsey can do so in the safest manner possible.

“For now we ask that everyone who lives in the District and those who choose to visit continue with social distancing, to act responsibly and to stay safe.”

This decision couldn't have been easy, said a former Skegness Town Councillor.

The LCC car parks in Anderby Creek were full of visitors.

John Byford, who is keeping a pictorial record of how Skegness is coping with the pandemic, said: "I sympathise with them because they are trying to protect the vulnerable people who live here, but the Government has said visitors can travel and has encouraged them to visit the coast.

"Many of those who did come have probably been desperate to visit the beach after lockdown and we don't want to make them feel unwelcome.

"It's a difficult time for businesses, too, because those who have taken loans to help them through the period they are closed will still have to pay those loans back.

"We are asking people to stay away until it is safer but unless we take these little steps, will there be anything for them to come back to?

"It is a serious issue though - China and Germany who eased restrictions ealier than us are now experiencing second waves of Covid-19 and that is not what we want."

The threat of a second wave of people with the virus is exactly what residents in Anderby Creek, with its many retired residents, do not want. As feared, visitors knowing East Lindsey's car parks are shut headed for the resort's Lincolnshire County Council car parks, as well leaving their vehicles around the village.

"It's been a nightmare," said Anderby Creek Parish Councillor Coun Graham Fisher yesterday (Tuesday). "The village has been gridlocked and I had to call the police as cars were parked everywhere and blocking the road.

"I've had complaints from residents about people urinating in their gardens and if we needed an ambulance or fire engine we could have had fatalities.

"Some residents couldn't even get out of their homes because inconsiderate people were parking across their road blocking them in."

The Standard asked East Lindsey District Council if they were making any changes ahead of the weekend but were told that the coast remains closed.

A spokesman said: "We continue to ask people not to come at this time. The council will be putting more signage in place ahead of the Bank Holiday to help ensure people respect social distancing."