Curfew Inspectors Patrol Central London Pubs to Enforce 10pm Lockdown

Curfew inspectors patrolled Central London last night as the 10 pm rule sparked travel chaos with pubs emptying en masse.

Witnesses reported seeing police‘Inspectors’ peeping through pub windows to check that the UK curfew was being adhered to. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced further restrictions on public gatherings, ordering the closure of pubs, restaurants, and other hospitality venues by 10 p.m. from Thursday. “City Inspectors” were seen patrolling the streets of Soho, an entertainment district of Westminster, looking for “illegal speakeasies”, according to one witness.

The City of Westminster employees were photographed by puzzled onlookers peeping through letterboxes and windows, looking for any signs of activity. They were seen outside some of London’s most famous nightspots, including Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club and the Hippodrome Casino. One person claimed central London was busier than she had seen it in months as revellers all “rolled out” onto the streets at the same time when the pubs closed.

Video credit Kirsty Lews-Twitter

https://twitter.com/i/status/1309244883023126530

Hundreds of pictures and videos posted on social media showed crowds spilling onto thoroughfares in the capital as the clock struck 10, with seemingly little social distancing in sight.  Many had already warned of the cut-off time becoming a pinch point, with Wales allowing pubs a 20-minute window for pubgoers to leave, unlike England.

A pub bouncer posted on twitter saying his first shift on the curfew was an “absolute nightmare” and as hard as New Year’s Eve. Dan Barker on Twitter posted this collection of photos below. Picture  Credit-Dan Barker- Twitter

London consultant Dan Baker tweeted images of the individuals sporting what appeared to be official City of Westminster ‘City Inspector’ vests, remarking: “Strange sight — City Inspectors, working through Soho, looking for illegal speakeasies open after the 10 p.m. cutoff.” Mr Baker said: “I’d guess I saw them looking into a dozen or so places — the area has quite a lot of pubs and bars. It took me a moment to process what they were doing at first. I saw them again 15 minutes or so later outside the Hippodrome, which is usually open 24/7.”

A high police presence was witnessed on the emptying streets of Soho on Thursday night. London Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick had also joined the patrols in Shoreditch, another popular area for nightlife, according to reports. Prime Minister Johnson also widened the mandated wearing of masks to include hospitality venues unless you are sitting at a table eating and drinking, and raised the fine to €224 (£200) for not wearing one. Mandatory masks still remain in place in shops and on public transport.

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