A coach load of tourists from Bolton have reportedly left locals angry after travelled to Wales for an already-cancelled ‘Elvis Festival despite local lockdown restrictions.
The Porthcawl Elvis Festival – which held annually in Bridgend County, South Wales and usually attracts about 35,000 fans and 100 impersonators – was understandably cancelled this year due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Following a rise in confirmed cases, Bridgend County Borough was placed under local lockdown restrictions effective of yesterday (22nd September) at 6pm, with residents requiring “a reasonable excuse” to leave their county and tourists warned against travelling to the region.
This didn’t seem to stop a group of Bolton residents travelling there anyway.
The tourists arrived by coach on Monday afternoon after travelling 180 miles to the Seabank Hotel on Porthcawl’s seafront, only to then be told the county would become subject to tighter restrictions.
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Instead of spending the four nights in Porthcawl, the hotel is then believed to have transferred the group’s stay elsewhere and it is alleged that the tourists have travelled to the seaside town of Tenby in Pembrokeshire to continue their holiday.
Welsh Government has confirmed further restrictions for Bridgend County Borough from 6pm on Tuesday 22 September to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
? do not travel outside of Bridgend County Borough without a reasonable excuse. 1/6 pic.twitter.com/T8tUubcamo
Reporting from Porthcawl on Monday evening, BBC journalist Rhys Williams, said: “Not so long ago, a coach full of tourists turned up at one of the hotels along the seafront,
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“I spoke to a couple of the travellers on there who had actually come all the way from Bolton and instead of staying the four nights they were going to they had been told it was rearranged and tomorrow they were going to Tenby instead due to the restrictions that were due to come in to place.”
The UK government guidance does however allow residents from areas under local lockdown restrictions in England to travel outside of the area for tourism purposes with members of their household or social bubble.
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This discrepancy has fuelled concerns over lockdown tourism.
Andrew RT Davies – the Welsh Conservatives’ health spokesperson – told BBC Radio Wales it seemed “remarkable” that people from Bolton were on a coach holiday in Wales.
He said: “It doesn’t seem as if they have broken any rules or regulations, I think it emphasises the need to have a joined up approach between all the countries of the United Kingdom,
“If one part of the UK is allowing for such visits to be undertaken and another part of the UK is receiving those visits and testing isn’t in place to make sure those people aren’t leaving the area and might be spreading the virus, then obviously that is a gaping hole in the regulations.”
By working together we can stop coronavirus taking hold of our communities again.
-Keep 2m apart -Wash your hands -Work from home, if you can -Wear a face covering where needed -Only meet 6 people from your extended household indoors -Only travel when necessary#KeepWalesSafepic.twitter.com/eSTm70AK2e
The recent reports have also provoked anger on social media, with many Welsh residents querying why visitors are allowed to travel from a town with such high levels of coronavirus (COVID-19) infection rates.
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A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire Council added: “There are no restrictions to stop people leaving Bolton to go on holiday other than they should be doing so with people with whom they live (or in a ‘bubble’ with). There were no current restrictions on the bus load of persons leaving Porthcawl either at the time, and nothing to stop them from being in Tenby.”
They added the council’s enforcement team would be monitoring premises in Tenby to make sure they were complying with the current regulations.
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For the latest information, guidance and support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the UK, please do refer to official sources at gov.uk/coronavirus.
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Pubs in Greater Manchester are giving out free pints… of crisps
Emily Sergeant
A handful of pubs across Greater Manchester are handing out free pints this month, but with a bit of a catch.
The catch being it’s a free pint of crisps.
With January in full swing, and many people generally choosing to give up or cut back on their alcohol consumption in the spirit of Dry January, the nation’s most popular crisps brand, Walkers, has launched a brand-new ‘Pack Our Pubs’ initiative, which is aiming to help people stick to their sober goals while supporting pubs during what is typically their toughest month of the year.
Sadly, statistics showed that more than 400 pubs closed their doors last year, and those remaining are currently dealing with what’s thought to be the driest January yet – with 15.5 million people claiming they’d be taking a break from alcohol for the month.
Pubs in Greater Manchester are giving out free pints… of crisps / Credit: Flickr | Esperanza Doronila (via Unsplash)
On top of that, new research has also showed that, even if not giving up alcohol, more than a third of adults (36%) said they’ll avoid the pub altogether as they’re “trying to be good” this month and focus on their health.
Which is why Walkers is offering an alternative at hundreds of pubs nationwide.
Anyone who heads to their local pub and orders an alcohol-free pint this month will also get a pack of Walkers crisps from the ‘Better For You’ range chucked in for free, including popular varieties such as Walkers Baked, Walkers 45% Less Salt, Snack a Jacks, Popworks, and Sunbites.
300+ pubs across the UK will be giving out a ‘free pint’ of 0.0% crisps away with any non-alcoholic drink order.
Speaking on the initiative, Cynthia Finke, who is Marketing Director at Walkers’ parent company, PepsiCo, said : The beauty of our Better For You range means that no one has to miss out on the things they enjoy in January, like snacks.
“It’s much easier to stick to your goals if you’re able to have fun at the same time, and being able to support the pub industry at the same time is a bonus to boot.”
You just need to head to your nearest participating pub, including Stonegate Proper Pubs, all throughout January to support your local and enjoy a free pint of crisps.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Londoner ‘bewildered’ by first visit to Trafford Centre, comparing it to ‘Tutankhamun’s secret lair’
Daisy Jackson
A man visiting the Trafford Centre for the first time has said he’s been left ‘bewildered’ by the huge Greater Manchester shopping destination.
In a hilarious video titled ‘the least tired shopping centre in the UK’, vlogger and content creator MC said that the retail giant looks like ‘Tutankhamun’s secret lair’.
In the TikTok post, he films himself walking around the shops slack-jawed saying he feels ‘like I’m in Dubai or something’.
Us Mancs who have grown up going to the Trafford Centre probably forget how out-of-the-ordinary it actually is, from the food court that looks like a cruise ship to the palm trees to the fountains to the marble-esque pillars.
MC spends a bit of time ogling at the fountains, comparing the benches to a ‘throne’, and even stroking the plants to see if they’re real (they are).
He also said that the Trafford Centre has made it ‘unfair’ for the other shopping centres, setting the bar too high.
He said: “Now Manchester, I can’t like, I feel like you owe us, and by us I mean the rest of the UK, an explanation. Because why does your shopping centre look like this, bro? What?!
“Bro I’m absolutely bewildered, this is like I’m in Dubai or something bro.
“Like bro you can’t tell me this don’t look like Tutankhamun’s lair has moved all the way up to the north bro.
“Why don’t we have nowt like this in London? I’m telling you right now, try going to a shopping centre in London, you’ll find Westfield, Stratford.
“Sat on this bench in the middle of the shopping centre, looking at this, I feel like I’m on a throne.
“Is no one else seeing this? They have a waterfall in the middle of a shopping centre, this is not normal behaviour!
“These trees, they’re all real you know! It’s all in real soil.
“They did too much when they made this shopping centre, come on, this is unfair for the rest of them.”
At the end of the TikTok, he spots the Trafford Palazzo – home to Primark as well as attractions like Archie’s Atomic roller rink and the NERF Experience, and says: “Bro and I’m not even done! There’s even another shopping centre! Now what is this place?!”
One person commented: “trafford centre and is just pure nostalgia to me, titanic food court, twinkling stars in the ceiling, dolphin fountain, i remember being a kid when it was being built and being like, bruh.”
Another wrote: “Trafford centre has no right being as good as it is and we’re not even mentioning the fact that it has a cruise themed food court or that a giant waterpark is being built next door.”
Someone else said: “The Trafford Centre fr the reason every other shopping centre is dying i swear.”
Do you remember your first trip to the Trafford Centre?
The Manc -
23rd September 2020 
