Nine people issued with coronavirus fines in Watford

Enforcement officers from Watford Borough Council visited a range of businesses on May 25 and 26 including food outlets, retailers, and hairdressers.

The visits led to several fixed penalty notices being handed out.

The council says the joint operation with the police was as a result of a general increase in coronavirus cases in May, which includes cases of the Indian variant.

Ahead of the bank holiday weekend, Hertfordshire County Council issued a 'Covid alert' for Watford, warning of a rise in cases in the town.

See more: 'Covid alert' issued for Watford after rise in cases

With lockdown restrictions easing over the last few weeks, environmental health officers from the council have been visiting businesses in Watford to offer advice and "reinforce" the ongoing Covid safety requirements.

But these patrols were stepped up last week with businesses being reminded of their responsibilities to ensure their customers are obeying the regulations in place, such as wearing a face covering inside, unless medically exempt.

On this occasion, fixed penalty notices were handed out to people who were not wearing a face covering within a commercial premises in Watford, without a valid reason. In total, nine people were fined.

Watford town centre

Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor said: "Most people in our town have been working really hard along with the council and local police to follow the rules and keep themselves and others safe. However, legal action has been taken against a small number of people who weren’t wearing a face-covering in commercial premises, without a reason for this.

"Wearing a face covering in commercial premises is a legal requirement and it’s vital we all do the right thing to reduce the number of Covid-19 cases. It is so important that local businesses and residents work with us, so we can continue to control the virus and its variants and get the summer we all want."

Watford Chief Inspector Ian Grout said: "Thankfully the vast majority of people have done the right thing throughout the pandemic by wearing face coverings and following the government restrictions. Unfortunately, there are still a small number of businesses and residents who are ignoring the law and risking all our efforts.

"Issuing penalties remains a last resort as we ‘engage, explain and encourage’ first, but we will enforce legislation if anyone without an exemption refuses to wear a face-covering in commercial premises and hospitality locations.

"It’s been a long road to normality but we’re nearly there, and we’ll get there quicker if we continue to work together. Further joint operations are planned to ensure compliance in our ongoing battle against the virus."