Families urged to limit their use of children's playgrounds

Brighton and Hove City Council leader Phelim Mac Cafferty warned that playgrounds in the city could be closed if people do not use them more responsibly during lockdown.

"We really don’t want to close our playgrounds, but our concern is that as the new strain of the pandemic is spreading at a worrying speed, they’re becoming unsafe," Cllr Mac Cafferty said.

"This is because too many people of all ages are using them to congregate and socialise.

Brighton and Hove City Council's Green leader Phelim Mac Cafferty

“I understand how hard it is for parents to keep their children entertained and safe during these difficult times, and that it’s vital that we all follow guidance and do not meet other households indoors.

“But if the number of people gathering together in the play areas remains high, we will have to consider closing them to save lives and protect people’s health.”

Brighton and Hove City Council runs 55 playgrounds in the city.

Lockdown restrictions allow people to leave the house once per day for exercise.

They can also leave the house if they have a "reasonable excuse" such as shopping for essentials or going to work, when this work cannot be completed from home.

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They are allowed to exercise with one person from another household if social distancing measures are observed.

But a council spokesman said people "are using playgrounds to meet up and socialise for long periods of time".

So, the authority is urging people to be sensible when using parks in the city.

This includes not using the sites when they are at their busiest, and avoiding visiting at peak times if possible.

These are during the mid-afternoon and over the weekend.

Other precautions the authority is asking visitors to take include sanitising children's hands before and after using play equipment, maintaining two metres social distancing from other people at the parks at all times and limiting time spent at playgrounds.

To prevent the problem of overcrowding at playgrounds, as well as other popular areas in Brighton and Hove such as parks and the seafront, Cllr Mac Cafferty is encouraging residents to explore lesser-known parts of the city which are nearer to their homes.

Hove seafront under Tier 4 restrictions

He said: "I know it can be incredibly difficult at the moment, so we’re also focusing on promoting great activities for people of all ages to get involved in to stay fit and healthy, without the need to use and gather in large numbers at particular spots.

"We’re keen to remind people of the importance of social distancing in areas of high footfall like our seafront, where we are refreshing our signage, and reaching out to businesses to help share the message about how we prevent the spread of Covid-19.

"There are lots of interesting walks and trails within the city that may be of interest, and that can all be done safely and following social distancing measures."