Coronavirus Kent: Disappointment after people spotted playing tennis in Ashford
12:45, 06 April 2020
updated: 17:12, 06 April 2020
A councillor has expressed his disappointment after people were spotted playing tennis in Ashford despite government advice to stay home.
The game took place on the courts at The Ridge in Kennington on Saturday, which are looked after by Ashford Borough Council and are free to use.
Cllr Nathan Iliffe (Con), ward member for Kennington, says the players had arrived at the green opposite the Conningbrook Hotel in separate cars.
The councillor posted on his Facebook page: "I’m disappointed to report a resident has contacted me advising that people were playing tennis on the courts at The Ridge.
"According to the resident, the tennis players had arrived at the public courts in two separate cars.
"Playing tennis on a public court does not fall within the government’s guidelines of daily exercise.
"Exercise should take place close to home, people should not be driving anywhere to exercise. Doing so puts lives at risk.
"I have requested that the tennis courts be securely closed as soon as possible.
"Please, please continue to follow the government guidelines."
In a bid to stop the spread of the coronavirus, the government has asked people to stay home and only leave the house for four reasons.
These are to buy essential shopping such as food or medicine, travelling to work, medical appointments or once daily exercise.
The exercise should only be a run or walk and taken either alone or with people in your household.
Cllr Iliffe added: "I urge everyone to follow the government advice to stay home. The guidelines are there to keep the most vulnerable safe.
Ashford Borough Council, which runs the courts, confirmed it received reports of people using them at the weekend.
A spokesman said: "The council has made it clear that all council leisure sites are closed to the public until further notice and people should not be gathering at these sites during the current lockdown.
"Council staff will be placing laminated signs around the courts and will also tape off the entrance to further deter people from using the courts.
"The council is urging residents to observe the current national restrictions on going out and gathering in groups of more than two people."
Over the weekend, police also had to remind drivers in Ashford about the guidelines.
A tweet from Kent Police Ashford said: "PCSOs have been out patrolling the Ashford area today.
"A lot of drivers had to be reminded about essential driving only. Some are still ignoring the lockdown rules. If you go out, you can spread it. Stay home and save lives."
It comes after another authority - Folkestone and Hythe District Council - lambasted a family for travelling 122 miles from Bromley to visit the coast during the weekend's warm weather.
A spokesman for the council said: "This is not a public holiday - it’s a global pandemic.
"It’s disappointing we’ve had to issue a large number of warnings to those who refused to stay at home without justifiable reason.
"One family travelled from as far as Bromley just to visit the beach."
An ice cream parlour was also criticised over the weekend for staying open along Herne Bay seafront.
