Public Protection Officers have begun checking businesses across Bath & North East Somerset to ensure they are complying with the latest COVID-19 restrictions.
The officers from Bath & North East Somerset Council are working with Bath BID, the police and Covid Safety Officers to visit retail and licensed businesses to engage, explain and enforce the new Tier 2 rules.
Compliance checks are being carried out across Bath and the surrounding area seven days a week, and during some evenings.
New powers will see the Public Protection Officers giving improvement and restriction notices to businesses who are not complying with the latest regulations, and additional Fixed Penalty Notices if the notices are breached.
Councillor Paul Crossley, cabinet member for Community Services, said: “We want to reassure people that our public protection officers will be out in force to engage, explain, encourage and where necessary enforce the new tier 2 restrictions.
“They are playing an essential role in both helping retailers, pubs and restaurants reopen safely as well as making sure we continue to drive numbers down and stop the spread of this terrible virus.
“During the [latest] lockdown our officers visited more than 1,500 businesses across Bath and North East to ensure they were complying with the lockdown restrictions.
“Our officers found the vast majority were adhering to the rules, with just with just 27 found to be non-compliant and issued with advice.”
