The Leader of Derbyshire Dales District Council is asking would-be visitors to think twice before making a trip to one of the most beautiful regions in England.
The relaxation by the Government of coronavirus travel guidelines means many people who live both inside and outside the area may be contemplating a trip to the Dales’ visitor hotspots.
But the Council’s Leader Councillor Garry Purdy said: “While I totally understand the temptation to seek some respite from the constraints placed on all of us by the coronavirus crisis, my appeal to anyone considering a trip is not to focus so much on what you can now do but rather what you should do.
“Visiting the Dales right now will undoubtedly create tensions in our communities as well as placing pressure on our roads and emergency services, and, as a former police officer myself, I have a massive amount of sympathy for the policing job now facing the force.
“I am fortunate to represent an area of the Dales that includes Matlock Bath, which is a magnet for tourists at this time of year, but I am asking visitors to respect and protect the residents of Matlock Bath and all of the district’s many honeypot villages by staying away for now.
“We will welcome you back with open arms when this virus is properly under control – our leisure and tourism businesses, most of which continue to be closed, need your support in the long term. But, for now, please don’t put our already limited local services under unnecessary pressure.”
PARWICH.ORG 