‘Complete disregard’: Crowding concerns in Aberystwyth as one pub says they will close doors early

A pub in Aberystwyth has said that they will close their doors at 10pm on Saturday night after they expressed concerns about people’s “complete disregard of the fight against the pandemic”.

The Ship and Castle Pub criticised the behaviour and abuse they were experiencing in the wake of efforts to maintain Covid-19 restrictions.

“This feels like a very alien decision to make in an industry which is normally thriving at this time of night on a weekend,” they said.

“However the behaviours we are experiencing, the abuse, the complete disregard of the fight against this pandemic leaves us little option but to shut our doors early.”

It comes after footage was published online last night showing crowding outside a nightclub in the town at midnight.

Aberystwyth yn wythnos y glas, di hyn ddim yn iawn.@PlaidCeredigion @CeredigionCC @AberUni @ElinCeredigion @BenMLake @RoyalPier
Aberystwyth in freshers week, this just isnt right. pic.twitter.com/9vKdB3Km3A

— ifan🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 (@ifan_price) September 19, 2020

Ceredigion Senedd Member Elin Jones responded to the footage saying that the authorities would look into the behaviour.

‘Responsible’

Aberystwyth’s population has swelled significantly as 8,000 students arrive over the weekend in preparation for the start of Welcome Week and the first week of the teaching semester.

NUS Wales, however, have warned that students should not be made the scapegoat for a possible rise in Covid-19 cases. In an opinion piece, President Becky Ricketts called for those in positions of power must act responsibly and “avoid playing the blame game” over the pandemic.

“Six months into the pandemic, students know how important it is that they act responsibly and within the law,” she said.

“But this runs both ways – it’s just as important that universities act on their responsibility to safeguard staff and students.”