Police issue fixed penalty notices - 'driving to Cheddar Gorge to eat kebabs is not a reasonable excuse'

Avon and Somerset Police issued seven fixed penalty notices in Cheddar Gorge yesterday (January 9), and criticised people for driving there from Bristol to eat kebabs.

Police patrolling in Cheddar yesterday say they engaged with a number of people who were sitting in parked cars in Cheddar Gorge.

Officers took the decision to issue fixed penalty notices to seven individuals whom they determined were not local to the area, were not members of the same household, and did not have a valid reason for their journey under the current Covid-19 regulations.

A police spokesperson said: "We would ask that people follow the regulations, only travel when it is essential and take exercise locally to their home address, in order to save lives and protect the NHS."

Meanwhile, the Sedgemoor local policing teams wrote on Twitter: "Patrols of Cheddar Gorge this evening resulted in multiple vehicles being dispersed and seven fixed penalty notices being issued for breaching Covid-19 legislation.

"Travelling from Bristol to Cheddar to sit and eat kebabs in your vehicle is not a reasonable excuse!"