Coronavirus: Reduced Melton street market today and town parks stay open

Just a handful of stalls are set up for the usually busy Melton street market this morning (Tuesday) following the announcement last night of tighter restrictions on movement by the government in response to the coronavirus outbreak.
By Nick Rennie
Published 24th Mar 2020, 10:08 BST
The street market in Melton this morning - only stall selling food are set up following tighter government restrictions on public movement PHOTO MELTON POLICE EMN-200324-095230001The street market in Melton this morning - only stall selling food are set up following tighter government restrictions on public movement PHOTO MELTON POLICE EMN-200324-095230001
The street market in Melton this morning - only stall selling food are set up following tighter government restrictions on public movement PHOTO MELTON POLICE EMN-200324-095230001

Only traders selling food are operating in the town centre with many already having indicated they would not be setting up today anyway before Boris Johnson’s address to the nation.

Melton Mowbray Town Estate say guidelines are being observed on social distancing at the market and that the town parks they manage all remain open to allow residents to exercise.

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Chairman of feoffees, John Southerington, said: “We are down to a handful of stalls on the market selling food and they are spaced apart.

“It is a shadow of the usual Tuesday market but people had already started ringing yesterday to say they wouldn’t be trading before the new restrictions came in last night.”

The town estate’s parks all remain open today, including Play Close, Prior’s Close, New Park, the Queen Elizabeth II field and Egerton Park.

Mr Southerington added: “The only place people can’t go is the children’s play equipment on the Play Close.

“We have put a padlock on that to stop entry in line with what the government is saying about play parks.”

Related topics:MeltonElizabeth IIBoris JohnsonMelton Mowbray