Officers of the COVID-19 Monitoring Unit closed four bars on the south coast and pulled two party buses off the road on Sunday night for breaching the protocols related to the wearing of masks in public spaces.
Director of the Unit, Ronald Chapman, said that Chill Bar in Hastings, 6 Mix Bar in Worthing, and McBrides and Hal’s Bar, both in St. Lawrence Gap, were all ordered closed for the evening.
In addition, two party buses, which drove into St. Lawrence Gap while the officers were on the job, were also ordered off the road because patrons were observed without masks and “packed close together jamming to loud music”.
Mr. Chapman pointed out that all four bars had previously been warned about contravening the protocols, which related primarily to barmen not wearing masks or face shields, and to some patrons also not wearing masks.
He explained that while the protocol allowed for masks to be removed by patrons when sitting with their own groups to socialise and drink, it was mandatory that the masks be worn when people were walking around the establishment for any reason, such as going to the bar or the rest rooms.
The Director of the Unit made it clear that officers will continue surveillance of bars, restaurants and other public spaces on a weekly basis and anyone caught contravening the protocols faced the possibility of business closure.