A Grosvenor-branded casino, located in the town of Bolton, Greater Manchester, was accused of violating shut-down hours after the government unexpectedly had a change of heart about the lockdown rules in the area. The gambling venue, located at Ormrod Street, reopened its doors to customers yesterday at midday under the assumption the county’s anti-coronavirus measures have been lifted.
Shortly after the first patrons made it to the casino floor, the authorities reversed their decision from last week. They decided not to remove the lockdown restrictions just yet, which means non-essential businesses, including casinos, are not permitted to resume their operations for the time being. The casino operators had no idea how to approach the situation.
As a result, the gaming venue remained open until police authorities arrived on the scene around 8 o’clock in the evening and advised Grosvenor Casino to shut down again. The management claims they did not violate the lockdown rules purposefully and have gone to extreme lengths to notify the local authorities about the situation.
A spokesperson of the gambling operator commented the casino resumed its operations in line with all guidelines the government had laid down last Friday evening. The spokesperson claims that the management got in touch with the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) as soon as they heard about the changes in the measures. Grosvenor Casino sought “urgent clarification” of what the new government decision meant for businesses that have already resumed operations.
Police Officers Arrived on the Spot to Shut Down the Casino
When the management finally succeeded in contacting the authorities for confirmation around 8 o’clock in the evening, the police officers had already arrived on the spot, the Grosvenor spokesperson explained. The casino immediately complied with the instructions of the police authorities.
Grosvenor’s spokesperson insisted the operator did not violate the government rules intentionally. Even more so, considering that the town of Bolton currently experiences a massive spike in new coronavirus cases. Grosvenor Casino’s priority is to ensure the safety of its personnel and patrons, the spokesperson stressed.
Last Friday, the authorities unveiled their intentions to lift the lockdown restrictions, allowing businesses across the towns of Trafford and Bolton to resume their operations, similarly to what happened in the town of Wigan. Restrictions were supposed to be lifted for non-essential businesses like bowling alleys, soft play centres, gambling venues, and roller-skating rinks.
The initial plan was to allow these venues to reopen to customers this past Wednesday. However, Bolton saw a massive surge in new cases since last week, with 220 new cases over the course of the last seven days. This makes for a dramatic increase of 340% compared to the previous week.
The authorities of Bolton responded to this surge in coronavirus rates by demanding from the Health Secretary Matthew Hancock to reconsider easing down the lockdown measures. Many businesses decided the changes have indeed come into effect since Health Secretary Hancock failed to answer the inquiries by Wednesday morning.
- Author
Olivia Cole
