Hungry KFC customers have caused queues so long that a bus company has been forced to close its nearby stop, while VE Day celebrations ended with police fining neighbours last week.
Bus operator Stagecoach announced it would stop running buses to a stop in Eureka Leisure Park, Ashford, Kent, for the rest of this week as cars queuing for some drive thru chicken were blocking the estate’s roads.
The fast food restaurant was one 55 KFC drive-thrus to reopen at the start of May, with KFC warning customers ‘please, please don’t all rush at once’.
Traffic has been queuing at KFC’s drive-thru in Eureka Leisure Park, Ashford since it reopened, Karen May was sat behind other hungry customers on May 7
Victory in Europe Day celebrations got out of hand in Bilborough, Nottingham, last week and police had to be called
Less than two weeks later buses are turning away from the park.
Stagecoach South East told passengers on Wednesday: ‘Due to an extremely large number of vehicles queuing for a tasty KFC we will be unable to serve Eureka Cinema until 18th May 2020.
‘Please use Thomson road bus stops along Trinity Road. Sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.’
Before Stagecoach’s announcement, there were already complaints over queues from locals, after KFC changed the branch from delivery only to open for drive thru customers.
Within days of the restaurant reopening, Robert Brown commented: ‘Long queues at eureka park kfc drive thru it’s like people have never had chicken before.’
Ashford’s chicken fans would have to travel
A KFC spokesman told KentOnline: ‘We know it’s tempting, but please, please don’t all rush at once.
KFC customers in Eureka Leisure Park are causing traffic problems in Ashford, Kent
‘Delivery remains the best way to get your fried chicken fix – we just want to offer a little more choice to those who are already on the road for essential journeys or on their way home from difficult shifts.’
Police officers were called to a street party in Nottingham on Victory in Europe Day last week after revellers flouted the government’s coronavirus lockdown rules.
A video of the ‘out of control’ street party in Bilborough, which consisted of a DJ playing music and a barbecue, shows officers break up the event as the party-goers relax around speakers on the pavement.
One man at the event on Friday was filmed speaking to the police officers, seen wearing protective face masks, and urging anyone at the party that was not local to leave.
In the video, a man is heard shouting: ‘If you’re not from the ends… f*** off.
‘Whoever is born and bred on the ends, stay here, this is our home innit. If you don’t live round here just circle innit. Round up your troops and just go, I beg you.’
Police had to be called to a street in Bilborough, Nottingham last Friday as crowds gathered during VE Day celebrations
Another woman tells the crowds: ‘What the officers are saying is… stay in your gardens and keep your distance.
‘If you are going to be here you’re going to have to stand in twos (with) who you came with.’
Two fines were issued to people who refused to adhere to the social distancing rules at the street party.
Police were called to the scene last Friday, VE Day, by residents who were concerned about ‘the large number of attendees and some people breaching social distancing rules.’
Neighbourhood Inspector Gordon Fenwick, of Nottinghamshire Police, said: ‘Officers who attended engaged with some of the people present and gave strong words of advice to those who were not social distancing.
‘Officers remained at the event and issued two fines to individuals who decided not to follow the advice that was given.
Locals tried to calm crowds at the street party after police were called to people flouting social distancing rules
‘The officers spoke to and worked with the event organiser who tried to reinforce the message about people needing to follow the social distancing rules.
‘Parts of the group began to move on and most of the people had left by 9pm.’
So far during the lockdown, Nottinghamshire Police have issued 117 fines, with the majority being to young men aged between 18 and 30.
Chief Superintendent Rob Griffin added: ‘We have been clear from the outset that our approach during the coronavirus outbreak has been to engage with members of the public, explain the current Covid-19 regulations and encourage people to follow the instructions.
Neighbours asked revellers to get back into their gardens after police were called to the street party in Bilborough that featured a DJ and a BBQ last Friday
‘We have only used enforcement when it has been absolutely necessary to do so.
‘The vast majority of people our officers have spoken to have been really understanding and have listened to the advice we have given them.
‘It’s pleasing that in this instance members of the community have been really supportive, actively helping with bringing some normality and encouraging people to follow the rules.
‘Our priority is to keep people safe and we have found, as we did with the incident on this street, that by escalating our response appropriately and only where necessary we have resolved things safely.’