Scrooge council fence off park goals to stop kids playing football…but they just use the fencing as goalposts
A LONDON council caused fury after it blocked off goalposts in the park to stop people playing football…but kids have just used the fencing as goals instead.
Southwark Council erected the metal barriers in front of the football posts in order to stop people playing in Warwick Gardens, Peckham, during the second lockdown.
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Along with the metal fences, the council posted a sign saying: “Try to avoid touching the gates, hoops, hoop nets, backboards, goals, fences or posts to minimise transmission.”
But despite the attempts to stop people playing, defiant families continued having a kick-about, using the mental barriers as posts.
After the metal rails were spotted, one angry user wrote on Twitter: “Goalposts being blocked off again in Warwick Gardens by Southwark Council though the playground is still open.
“Exercise is vital to people’s physical and mental health.
“Can Southwark provide the evidence that playing football outdoors increases the spread of covid?
“A lot of people walking through Warwick Gardens this morning looked horrified and upset by this.
“It’s fascistic.”
A spokesman from the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: “Local Authorities should take a proportionate approach in their decisions on free facilities open for public use given households can continue to exercise together.
“We urge people to keep fit as much as possible during the current national measures and have been clear that grassroots sport will return as soon as it is safe to do so.”
Another sign erected by the council on a fence near the blocked-off goals reads: “We have reopened our sports courts in line with government guidelines but ask that you stay at home as much as possible.”
OWN GOAL
Kids’ grassroots sports have been banned during the second lockdown – meaning children can’t have a kick-about as part of non-professional teams.
However, the current lockdown restrictions allow households to exercise outdoors together, including playing football in a local park.
Two people from different households can meet for exercise outdoors, so long as they maintain social distancing.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden explained that kids are only allowed to play sports like football in school settings because of the pandemic restrictions.
In a Twitter post, Mr Dowden said: “Unfortunately we need to pause grassroots sport outside school to reduce the transmission risk from households mixing. As soon as we can resume this, we will.”
Culture and Committee Chair Julian Knight has urged the “blanket ban” on outdoor sports to be lifted while Labour are also calling for “wellbeing” activities to be allowed.
But Boris Johnson repeatedly ruled out tennis, golf, swimming and other outdoor activities.
He said “unpicking one thing” would threaten the integrity and effectiveness of the “whole package”.
Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people have demanded that kids’ football is allowed during the second lockdown, signing a petition that has over 100,000 signatures.
The petition read: “It is well known that outdoor transmission of the Covid 19 is minimal. All grassroots football clubs have guidelines & processes in place to make football safe.
“This petition is to fight to keep grassroots football for YOUTH going throughout the new restrictions.”
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Councillor Catherine Rose, Southwark Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure, Environment and Roads, said: “The Government’s advice, under the new national restrictions, was that outdoor sports facilities should be closed, and councils have worked hard to interpret and implement this to keep our residents safe.
“We want our residents to get outside, enjoy sport, exercise and leisure in our parks and games areas within the guidelines, but we also have a duty to follow national guidance and keep people safe.”
