Man drinking beer on Brighton beach says UK ‘needs to be stricter like Spain’ to avoid second spike in deaths

‘If we carry on the way we’re going I think we’re going to have a major lockdown in two weeks’

A man has been filmed while drinking beer on Brighton beach saying the UK “should be more strict like Spain” and enforce tougher lockdown rules.

The middle-aged man said the UK could see “a massive rise in deaths again” with “the way the restrictions are”.

He warned the UK could see “a major lockdown in two weeks” if people “carry on the way we’re going”.

In the video, uploaded to Twitter by a correspondent for ITV’s Good Morning Britain, the man says: “Me personally, I think the way we’re going – I know we’re drinking beer so it looks like we’re saying what’s good for us is not good for everyone else – but if we carry on the way we’re going I think we’re going to have a major lockdown in two weeks, the way the restrictions are, and in two weeks I think we’re going to see a massive rise in deaths again.

“So I think we should be more strict like Spain and none of us be allowed out.”

It comes after the local council in Brighton asked people to “stay away” from its sea-front, and as Wednesday's temperatures – the hottest thus far this year –​ drew thousands to the coasts of Britain.

Carmen Appich, chairwoman of Brighton and Hove City Council’s Tourism, Equalities, Communities & Culture Committee, said: “If thousands of people travel to our city on a sunny day and don’t or are unable to maintain safe physical distancing because of overcrowding, this increases the risk of a Covid outbreak and puts everyone at risk.”

Since 13 May, people in England have been permitted to take part in unlimited exercise and meet one person from another household, as long as they abide by social-distancing rules and stay outside.