POLICE chief speaks about the issues they had with the return of bars and pubs yesterday.

There was an increased police presence to help create a smooth operation of town centres across Cumbria, and the number of incidents was told to be on a par with an average Saturday night.

Chief Superintendent Rob O’Connor said: “We had an increased police presence out yesterday in city and town centres to ensure the smooth reopening of venues.

“We’d like to thank those who behaved responsibly and followed the guidelines to ensure we all stay safe.

“We did see some incidents where we had to attend pubs and deal with crimes, but these were in low numbers.

“What incidents there were probably compares to an average Saturday night before the restrictions – certainly it didn’t compare to an event like New Year’s Eve or a major bank holiday.

“We did have a number of assaults and a number of arrests for suspected drink driving, as we unfortunately might expect on an average weekend, and those will be investigated as per usual.

“It’s been a challenging few months for everyone and we all understand many people want to return to having a night out.

“We would continue to ask people to follow the Government’s guidance to reduce the risk to everyone from Covid-19.

“Please continue to social distance, maintain hand hygiene and follow the instructions of staff in venues.”