Day One of Lockdown and I cannot report on the state of our town, because I'm heeding government advice and staying put. I was interested in an outdoor interview on the radio this afternoon with the Metropolitan police commissioner Cressida Dick. Clearly audible in the background was much traffic. It didn't sound like lockdown to me. Our own chief constable, Carl Foulkes, reported at lunchtime that traffic was down in North Wales. Still there was plenty on our roads in Rhuthun/Ruthin when I took my permitted one daily exercise, at 7a.m.
What I can say is that outside my house it's been very quiet all day. Yesterday, there were groups of children, sometimes with groups of adults all clearly not from the same household. Today, no children whatsoever and no groups. How long will that last? How long can parents cope with a houseful of children? I did notice two younger people walk by. They were older than school age but I'd bet that they were not from the same household. They certainly were not practicing social distancing.
Thank heavens for the internet in these difficult times. What would we do without it. We hear on the wireless that we are compelled to keep 2m apart from everyone. I've checked online to determine exactly how far away 2m actually is. It saves searching for a conversion table and a slide rule. 2m is apparently 6′ 6″. Why don't they just say so? Anyway, now we know.
County Hall has now closed to the public. It's still available for such staff as required. We know that about 1,000 Denbighshire staff logged on yesterday from their homes and that this is approximately half the capacity available to council staff. There are currently about 2,366 non-school full time equivalent staff.
And, Ysgol Brynhyfryd closed (again) this afternoon. It had previously closed but opened on Monday to receive its share of children of key workers or those deemed as vulnerable. I'm not sure anyone actually turned up. Denbighshire expected 2,600 children across its estate of schools but yesterday we're told only 305 arrived.
Loggerheads, Moel Famau and the leisure centre all closed today, with locked gates across car park entrances. The country park's closure was no doubt hastened by reports over the weekend of crowds in rural hotspots. In just one week's time, Denbighshire Leisure Ltd was due to launch itself as a free standing business but clearly there won't be much business to do.
There are now a significant number of local businesses laying staff off or placing them in furlough, as our American cousins might say. Construction can continue but Taylor Wimpey announced with immediate effect it was closing its sales centres and, after making them safe, all its sites. It employs 16,000 people, 14,000 of whom work for sub-contractors, a significant proportion of which are self-employed. This affects Glasdir and is the second interruption there, the first following the November 2012 flooding. Not sure how related it is, but builders' merchants Richard Williams and Huws Gray also closed yesterday. Who needs great crested newts to stop house building?
Personally speaking, I have to confess I have not felt so good, today. I was tired enough to take a nap this afternoon and I have a vague flu-like ache. That ain't good. In a case of really really REALLY bad timing, I suffered from some sort of bronchitis towards the end of February. Not having had so much as a cold since 2003, I now find myself in the 'vulnerable' category. It means that should I contract covid-19 my survival chances are slimmer than most, in spite of being in very good health for my age till very recently. Most (but not all) of the time, I'm reconciled to death if it comes to it. After all, you've gotta die some time. I'd just rather it wasn't now.
Chairs stacked at Chatwin's
What I can say is that outside my house it's been very quiet all day. Yesterday, there were groups of children, sometimes with groups of adults all clearly not from the same household. Today, no children whatsoever and no groups. How long will that last? How long can parents cope with a houseful of children? I did notice two younger people walk by. They were older than school age but I'd bet that they were not from the same household. They certainly were not practicing social distancing.
County Hall has now closed to the public. It's still available for such staff as required. We know that about 1,000 Denbighshire staff logged on yesterday from their homes and that this is approximately half the capacity available to council staff. There are currently about 2,366 non-school full time equivalent staff.
Plenty of space in the Brynhyfryd staff car park on Friday, when the school was fully shut. At the same time yesterday, there were three cars only
And, Ysgol Brynhyfryd closed (again) this afternoon. It had previously closed but opened on Monday to receive its share of children of key workers or those deemed as vulnerable. I'm not sure anyone actually turned up. Denbighshire expected 2,600 children across its estate of schools but yesterday we're told only 305 arrived.
Loggerheads, Moel Famau and the leisure centre all closed today, with locked gates across car park entrances. The country park's closure was no doubt hastened by reports over the weekend of crowds in rural hotspots. In just one week's time, Denbighshire Leisure Ltd was due to launch itself as a free standing business but clearly there won't be much business to do.
These are almost ready for families to move in...
There are now a significant number of local businesses laying staff off or placing them in furlough, as our American cousins might say. Construction can continue but Taylor Wimpey announced with immediate effect it was closing its sales centres and, after making them safe, all its sites. It employs 16,000 people, 14,000 of whom work for sub-contractors, a significant proportion of which are self-employed. This affects Glasdir and is the second interruption there, the first following the November 2012 flooding. Not sure how related it is, but builders' merchants Richard Williams and Huws Gray also closed yesterday. Who needs great crested newts to stop house building?
Personally speaking, I have to confess I have not felt so good, today. I was tired enough to take a nap this afternoon and I have a vague flu-like ache. That ain't good. In a case of really really REALLY bad timing, I suffered from some sort of bronchitis towards the end of February. Not having had so much as a cold since 2003, I now find myself in the 'vulnerable' category. It means that should I contract covid-19 my survival chances are slimmer than most, in spite of being in very good health for my age till very recently. Most (but not all) of the time, I'm reconciled to death if it comes to it. After all, you've gotta die some time. I'd just rather it wasn't now.