Leicester lockdown: 'More police than New Year's Eve' on patrol

Police say they are bracing themselves for a busy weekend as pubs stay closed in Leicester but reopen across the country.

More officers would be on duty than during a typical New Year's Eve, Leicestershire Police said.

Hospital bosses in the city also said they were preparing for "typical behaviours of New Year's Eve".

Leicester became subject to the UK's first local lockdown on Monday following a spike in Covid-19 cases.

Police said officers would be policing the stricter lockdown measures as well as overseeing the relaxation of rules outside of the restricted zone.

Leicester's hospitals said the reopening of pubs outside of the city could have "a big impact on the public" and A&E admissions.

Acting chief executive of the hospitals' trust Rebecca Brown said: "We're working with East Midlands Ambulance Service and the police to make sure that we're ready to support not only a surge in Covid, but also a surge in typical behaviours of New Year's Eve."

British Transport Police is also deploying extra officers to Leicester railway station to check advice on non-essential travel is being followed.

It said rail users could expect to see an "enhanced presence" after the government said lockdown residents should only travel when essential.

A number of pubs located just outside the lockdown boundary have decided not reopen this weekend.

They include The Royal Oak in Kirby Muxloe and JD Wetherspoon venue The White House in Scraptoft.

A JD Wetherspoon company spokeswoman said: "The pub is not technically within the lockdown area but it is located so very close to the red line border that we felt it responsible not to reopen on Saturday."

No decision has been made on when the pub will reopen.

The Royal Oak will open on Monday - 48 hours later than bosses had originally planned to welcome back regulars.

"We just can't take the risk of loads of people coming and not being able to get in," said landlady Sarah Flavell.

"It's difficult because you want to get going again as quickly as you can because you need the money but you've got to be able to do it properly and safely."

Meanwhile, door staff at a number of bars in Nottingham will be checking ID to keep out people from Leicester.

Rob Glasby, manager of Playhouse Bar and Kitchen and spokesman for an unofficial union representing hospitality staff in the city, said it was an important precaution aimed at keeping staff and other customers safe.

Sue Smith gets a good view of the lockdown boundary - it extends to the bottom of her garden.

"We could climb over the fence and be free," she joked. "But we won't."

Mrs Smith, 57, and her husband Denis have not left their house in Thurncourt in 15 weeks because Mr Smith, 70, has been shielding.

"So near and yet so far," said Mrs Smith. "This further lockdown is disappointing but necessary."

Read more about residents living on the lockdown border.

Nottinghamshire Police Chief Constable Craig Guildford said his force would also be monitoring the situation.

"If there's any intelligence that comes from Leicestershire about, for instance, a minibus of people coming to Nottingham for a night out, clearly we'd want to move into our education mode for those individuals," he said.

National Express has also said its coach services will not stop at Leicester during the lockdown period.

Leicester City's home game against Crystal Palace on Saturday afternoon will go ahead as planned.

The restrictions are due to be reviewed by the government from 18 July.

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