Long queues pictured outside pub despite social distancing restrictions

Footage comes as Public Health Wales reminds young people to continue measures to prevent coronavirus spread

Footage posted online shows a long queue of people who were not practicing social distancing waiting to get into a pub in Cardiff city centre.

The video, filmed by Ian Cottrell and posted on Twitter, has sparked debate about whose responsibility it is to enforce social distancing.

The queue was seen outside a bar called Coyote Ugly on St Mary’s Street. Mr Cottrell told Wales Online the sight of so many people crammed into the queue was “shocking”.

He said on Twitter: “Good evening Cardiff Council, here’s the queue outside a bar on St Mary’s Street at 00:27. I asked South Wales Police why they weren’t challenging or enforcing it, and they said it’s the establishment’s responsibility under the Welsh government’s guidance.

“Can’t we all work together on this?”

South Wales Police responded saying they will pass on Mr Cottrell’s feedback to local officers, and added: “If you have any specific concerns about a business please raise these with Trading Standards.”

He told Wales Online there were police officers in the vicinity of the bar.

“We asked them what they could do to stop, and they said they couldn’t step in because it was up to the venue to police it." Mr Cottrell said.

The scenes come after Public Health Wales issued an urgent appeal reminding young people to practice social distancing, as “numbers of positive coronavirus cases across Wales is causing concern”.

Dr Robin Howe, incident director for the Covid-19 outbreak response, said: “Our investigations into a number of cases of coronavirus have indicated that a lack of social distancing, in particular by a minority of the 20-30 year age group, have resulted in the spread of the virus to other groups of people.

“I would make a direct appeal to young people to remember that even if they feel that they would not be badly affected by Covid-19 if they were to test positive for it, if they were to pass it on to older or more vulnerable family members, friends or colleagues it could be extremely serious, even fatal.”