Several residents and business people have raised concerned about the size of marquees erected outside businesses on Union Street and Belmont Street.

The reason for temporarily closing roads and widening pavements is to create additional space for pedestrians during the pandemic. 

People have said they are very unhappy that some very large marquees have been put up on Union Street and Belmont Street which reduce the space available for pedestrians.

The marquee outside “The Grill” on Union Street not only fills the bus lane, it also blocks some of the pavement with the result there is less space available for pedestrians than normal.

People have also complained that the marquee outside “Books and Beans” on Belmont Street is far too big and means people walking past it are finding it difficult to stay two metres apart.

Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Delaney said, “Creating additional space to allow for customers to social distance is absolutely fine, just as long as these additional spaces do not impact on the ability of pedestrians to social distance safely”.

“There’s no point in bringing in measures to restrict traffic and create safe spaces for pedestrians only for businesses to occupy those spaces to the exclusion of the general public”.