Home   Thanet   News   Article

Coronavirus Kent: Shoppers at Westwood Cross in Broadstairs defy government's social distancing plea

Shoppers are ignoring advice from the government about social distancing and continuing to head to Westwood Cross.

While the shopping centre in Broadstairs is noticeably quieter, shops - with the exception of Clarks, which is shut 'for the safety of its customers' - remain open.

Westwood Cross shopping centre at midday today
Westwood Cross shopping centre at midday today

A centre spokesman says Westwood Cross is staying open at the moment and guidance from Public Health England is being shared to individual retailers.

"We're continuing to manage the situation and following advice from PHE, but at the moment we are open as usual," she added.

The centre, which has a 1,500-space car park, has 53 shops and restaurants, including Bella Italia, which remained open today.

Vue cinema, which is located opposite the shopping area, closed its doors on Tuesday.

A Vue spokesman said: "Since the first news of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have been doing everything we can to provide a high quality, enjoyable and safe big screen experience for our customers.

"However in line with the UK Government’s latest public health advice we will be closing all our venues in the UK & Ireland until further notice.

"As you would expect, we are also doing our part by putting employment policies in place so that our staff are protected and are not penalised financially.

"Any pre-existing bookings will be refunded automatically in the month of the scheduled screening."

For the latest coronavirus news and advice, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet

Close This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies.Learn More