Coronavirus: Police called to wedding receptions with up to 100 guests despite local lockdowns

Officers forced to break up huge gatherings in breach of strict Covid-19 rules

Waheed's Buffet and Banqueting Hall, the Blackburn wedding reception venue, has been 'named and shamed' by police (Google Maps)

Police have been called to wedding receptions in both Greater Manchester and Blackburn, despite local lockdowns there struggling to contain outbreaks of coronavirus.

Lancashire Police said they found about 120 people at a wedding venue in Blackburn celebrating on Sunday.

In a statement on Facebook, the force’s Blackburn branch said they were “disappointed” by the wedding reception.

“Officers have attended a report of a significant breach of Covid restrictions, and found over 100 guests at a wedding reception.

“This is a clear breach of both local and national restrictions that puts everyone attending at risk.”

Deputy Chief Constable Terry Woods said he had decided to “name and shame” businesses flouting the lockdown so everyone knows “there will be consequences”.

The illegal wedding reception was discovered at Waheed’s Buffet and Banqueting Hall on Randal Street.

“The vast bulk of those people were asked to leave, they were very compliant, but in effect that wedding reception was closed down and what remained was a small number of people,” DCC Woods added.

“Today future action is going to be considered with the local authority to see what we can do with that premises to stop it happening again.”

Blackburn with Darwen council area has been under increased restrictions since mid-July, when it became clear its cases of Covid-19 were surging.

The rules state that you should not socialise with anyone outside your own household in indoor public venues – wedding receptions are also banned, despite the national lockdown rules currently permitting up to 30 guests.

Blackburn with Darwen’s director of public health, Dominic Harrison, criticised those at the wedding reception, saying their actions were “not fair to the majority of the population who are sticking by the guidance we’ve put out”.

“We as a council, with the police, are going to be looking to take stronger action than we have up to now on events like this over the coming weeks.”

Despite over a month of increased lockdown, coronavirus cases were not yet falling as quickly as officials had hoped, he added.

In Manchester, where similar restrictions have been imposed to try to clamp down on a separate outbreak of Covid-19, police had to break up a wedding reception in a marquee in Whalley Range on Sunday.

More than 50 guests were present when officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) arrived following a tip off. The force said the organiser of the wedding was fined under lockdown legislation.

“We understand that the vast majority of people across Greater Manchester are doing the right thing and it’s incredibly disappointing that these people are being continuously let down by a small minority, who are selfishly flouting the very guidance that is there to keep us safe,” said Deputy Chief Constable Ian Pilling.

GMP said they had received 54 reports of potential breaches of lockdown on Sunday afternoon and evening alone, including several house parties as well as the wedding reception.

“We’ve been really open with the public about the pressure these calls place on already stretched and limited resources and I really need people to understand what is at stake here.

“Can you imagine a vulnerable loved one not being able to get through to 999 when in an emergency, because our phone lines are tied up with people reporting illegal parties? It’s this serious.”

There are, however, signs Greater Manchester’s local lockdown is working. On the most recent data, there were 73 newly reported cases of coronavirus in the region, a significant fall from the 200 reported just four days earlier.