Covid: Derbyshire holiday home shut down over lockdown stays

Police said the property would be monitored

A holiday home that continued to accommodate guests during lockdown has been forced to close.

Derbyshire Police said Castle House in Chapel-en-le-Frith, Derbyshire, had flouted Covid-19 laws by staying open since the start of January.

Owner Scott Richardson has been handed fines totalling £7,000 and 62 visitors also received fixed penalty notices.

At Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court on 7 April, he was ordered to close the let until 20 June.

'Disruptive and dangerous'

Insp Dave Parker, from Derbyshire Police, said there had been 85 complaints about the two-bedroom Manchester Road property between 4 January and 20 March.

He said Mr Richardson, of Manchester Road, Chapel-en-le-Frith, had "repeatedly flouted legislation, despite repeated warnings and fines".

"His blatant disregard for the law has put the community in Chapel at risk from a large number of people travelling into the area," he added.

"The nearly 100 complaints received by the force over a relatively short period of time shows just how disruptive, as well as dangerous, this holiday let has been."

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He continued: "We understand entirely that people have been hit hard financially due to the restrictions that are in place.

"However, the vast majority of holiday let owners are abiding by the rules and it is only right that those who aren't, are targeted.

"My officers will continue to monitor the property and, should there be any further breaches, will enforce the court-ordered closure."