Elvis fans warned: don’t travel to Porthcawl

Elvis fans are being warned not to break rules designed to fight the spread of Covid-19 by travelling to Porthcawl for the weekend of 25-27 September.

Following an alarming rise in coronavirus cases, new interventions announced by Welsh Government will be in place from 6pm on Tuesday 22 September to prevent people from entering or leaving Bridgend County Borough.

While organisers announced last month that this year’s Elvis Festival was cancelled due to the pandemic, authorities remain concerned that people may still try to travel into Porthcawl and gather in large numbers, especially if they have already booked accommodation.

With enforcement officers on patrol, the Shared Regulatory Service will be monitoring the situation and South Wales Police have confirmed that there will be a full presence in the town throughout the weekend.

Signage will be erected along the M4 motorway and at 12 gateway sites across the county borough to remind people that restrictions are in place on entering the area while the coronavirus measures are in effect, and tannoy cars will be deployed to broadcast similar messages.

The council is also contacting caravan parks, hoteliers and coach operators who may have been booked to bring trips down to Porthcawl this weekend.

The Leader, Cllr Huw David said: “With measures in place to deal with the recent rise in cases of Covid-19 across the South Wales area, it is absolutely vital to avoid crowds of people turning up for the cancelled Elvis Festival.

“Welsh Government’s rules on this make it clear that nobody should be travelling either into or out of Bridgend County Borough without a very good reason, and attending the cancelled Elvis Festival is most definitely not a good reason.

“We need people to think twice, stay safe, stay home, and help protect our local communities.

“How we behave in coming weeks and months will largely determine whether the outbreak worsens, or whether we can continue to work towards overcoming it once and for all.

“We can do this by acting responsibly, and thinking sensibly. Do not gather in large numbers, always keep two metres apart, wash your hands regularly, use sanitiser, work from home, and wear a face covering in an enclosed public space.

“Anyone who develops a high temperature, a new, continuous cough or who notices a change in their sense of smell or taste should get a coronavirus test as quickly as possible, and self-isolate immediately.

“Please do the right thing this weekend, and help us to keep the county borough safe.”

• You can read Welsh Government’s responses to frequently asked questions on the latest interventions at gov.wales/bridgend-lockdown-frequently-asked-questions