A sports club in Cornwall has been fined £1,000 for serving alcohol inside the premises in breach of Covid regulations.  

A Covid Enforcement Officer from Cornwall Council issued the fixed penalty notice on Wednesday, in liaison with Devon and Cornwall Police.  

Under the current restrictions, hospitality venues including pubs, bars and social clubs must remain closed, with the exception of providing food and non-alcoholic drinks for takeaway (until 11pm). 

The fixed penalty notice was issued after members of the club were found to be drinking alcohol inside the licensed premises on January 15. 

Cllr Rob Nolan, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Public Protection, said: “This club put both its members and the local community at risk.  

“The number of cases in Cornwall remains higher than we would like and it is simply unacceptable that these selfish individuals ignored the restrictions to drink socially.  

“We will always work with businesses to help explain the rules and how best to enforce them. In this instance, the business clearly knew that it was breaching the regulations and there is no excuse for this. 

“If businesses have questions or concerns, we urge them to get in touch. For the minority who refuse to follow the rules, we will not hesitate to take action.”  

Since the start of the pandemic, Cornwall Council has taken enforcement action against six businesses for Covid breaches.  

The club has 14 days to appeal to notice. 

Businesses can find support and guidance regarding the latest restrictions on the Business Regulatory Support website. 

Residents across Cornwall are being urged to stay safe when venturing out for their daily exercise. 

During lockdown you are allowed to leave your home to exercise but you should stay local to your town or village wherever possible and not take unnecessary risks.  

Cornwall Council is urging residents to avoid crowded spaces where it may be harder to socially distance and to be careful if you’re near the coast. There are more rock falls in winter so it’s best not to walk beneath cliffs at this time of year. 

The RNLI is reminding people to people to stay well back from stormy, wintry seas and cliff edges, check tide times before you go out, and make sure you take a phone with you. Always call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard if you or someone else is in trouble. 

Councillor Rob Nolan, cabinet member for Environment and Public Protection, said: “Getting some exercise, even just a short walk, can make a big difference to how we feel and it’s important that we all look after ourselves as best we can.   

“But we do ask that people think carefully before travelling to exercise. If you can exercise close to your home please do and when you are out and about, try to stay away from others and stay safe.” 

RNLI lifeboats and stations remain operational and will launch around the clock where there is risk to life. 

Steve Instance, the RNLI’s water safety lead for the south west, said: “We would encourage everyone to follow the latest government guidelines on what they are able to do and where they are able to go during lockdown, but for anyone visiting a coastal area please understand the risks to be as safe as possible and not put unnecessary strain on front line services.  

“No one ever heads to the coast with the expectation of needing to be rescued yet rescues are occurring every day.  So, whether you are walking, running or cycling at the coast, or doing some activity on or in the water, please be extra responsible and avoid taking unnecessary risks.”  

The RNLI’s key water safety advice is: 

• Take care if walking near cliffs – be aware of ice and frost, know your route and keep dogs on a lead 

• Check tide times daily 

• Take a full-charged phone  

• If going afloat, always wear a lifejacket or other personal flotation device and take a means of calling for help 

• Check your equipment is in good working order 

• Be aware of the conditions and your capabilities and only enter the water if it is safe to do so 

• In an emergency call 999 or 112 and ask for the Coastguard 

• Additional safety advice at www.rnli.org/safety   

Residents of Cornwall are being reminded of their duty to maintain buildings they own so that they don’t pose a danger to the public. 

It comes as Cornwall Council has seen the number of reported cases of dangerous structures increase every year since 2015, when the total stood at 168. 

In 2020, a total of 254 concerns were reported to the Council’s Building Control team. 

Many of the reports have been due to a lack of maintenance, although it is also thought that the increase could be exacerbated in part due to changes in weather patterns, with warmer and wetter winters and more frequent and intense weather extremes causing damage to structures. 

A dangerous structure could, however, be caused by a wide range of things – such as a fire or even a car crash. 

The Council has powers to make sure building users – including the general public – are safe, and its Building Control team operates a 24/7 service to respond to such concerns. 

Tim Dwelly, the Council’s Portfolio Holder for Planning, said: “Dangerous structures can include anything from loose roof slates through to buildings damaged by either a fire or impact from a car. 

“Our Building Control team triages and, where necessary, inspects all dangerous structures that are reported to us and deals with each in terms of the degree of danger it poses. 

“If the structure is deemed an imminent risk, we can serve a notice to require the building owner to take immediate action to remove the danger. 

“In some cases where the owner is either not contactable, or where they are unable or unwilling to take the necessary action, the Council’s Building Control team may have to take default action on the owner’s behalf, in order to protect the public.  In the case of loose slates, for example, this may involve closing a road or fencing off an area, rather than removing the roof covering or loose slates.” 

In all cases where there is a danger, the Council recovers the cost of any involvement or emergency work needed from the building’s owner. 

Neil Read, the Council’s Chief Building Control Officer, said: “It is always worth arranging regular checks of your property for any maintenance that may be required or that is overdue. 

“This may be things like loose roof slates, guttering or rendering to walls or chimneys. It’s also a good idea to check the condition of any fences or garden walls.  

“These simple checks should always be made whilst observing safe working practices. 

“Given the current COVID situation, if any external maintenance works are required that you need professional help with, this will help support local tradespeople at this difficult time. Please make sure that you are using recommended and competent contractors with the appropriate insurances and experience.” 

For more information on building control regulations see here.

Story posted January 21, 2021