Different sets of lockdown rules cause ‘confusion’ for Wales - England border residents
Video report by ITV Wales reporter Rob Shelley
The two different sets of Covid restrictions in England and Wales have caused some ‘confusion’ for the cross-border village of Llanymynech.
Llanymynech, straddling the border between Powys and Shropshire, has two pubs 50 yards apart with two different sets of lockdown rules.
The Dolphin Inn, on the Welsh side of the border, has been closed since October 23 following the Welsh Government announcement of a two week fire-break lockdown.
Pubs on the Welsh side of the border will be able to reopen from Monday.
Just over the border, The Bradford Arms has been able to stay open over the past few weeks, but is preparing to close its doors on November 5 in line with the new national restrictions for England that will be in place for four weeks.
John Turner, the owner of The Dolphin pub, said that ‘there has been confusion all along’.
He said: “To be honest with you, because it’s literally on the border, the people who live across the road, I have got no idea whether they live that side in England.”
“Mr Jones who lives in England and Mr Jones who lives in Wales - I couldn’t tell you which side they live so I’ve not been able to police it.”
This isn’t the first time that both pubs have faced different restrictions.
Bob Hedley, who owns the Bradford Arms Hotel, told us that they were in a similar situation at the end of the first lockdown.
He said: “We were allowed to open on the 4th of July, whereas the Dolphin in Wales wasn’t allowed to open until August, so we had that month there.”
Hospitality venues in Wales will be able to reopen when the fire-break comes to an end on November 9, with groups of four people from up to four different households allowed to meet in a café, restaurant, bar or pub.
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