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Officers on patrol across the city have now been instructed to take action against businesses failing to comply with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s new orders that are aimed at reducing unnecessary contact between people during the Covid-199 health scare.

He has ordered the immediate closure of all non-essential premises as one way of preventing the spread of coronavirus and saving lives.

Boris Johnson's government gave new advice to businesses last night. Photo by Ian Vogler-WPA Pool/Getty Images

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A spokeswoman for Cambridgeshire police said: “We are continuing to patrol across Cambridgeshire to ensure people adhere to government advice.

“We would encourage people to report any information they have about pubs, restaurants, venues staying open and acting against this advice by reporting this online at www.cambs.police.uk/report.”

She added: “Any venues found to be ignoring or going against government advice will be dealt with appropriately.”

Those premises found flouting the new rules could face a range of punishments from prohibition notices, and potentially unlimited fines.

However, the Prime Minister’s new rules do not apply to all businesses as the Government is not intending to oversee a mass shutdown of the majority of companies and employers.

So for many employers across Peterborough it is almost business as usual.

Manufacturers, engineers through to food producers, insurance providers and media organisations will be encouraged to stay open.

At the same time, they will be expected to make provision to ensure staff work from home where possible, ensure good hygiene and close off any access for the general public.

Those non-essential businesses that must shut are:

. Restaurants and cafes, including workplace cafes

. Pubs, bars and nightclubs, including bars in hotels or members’ clubs

. Retail hair, beauty and nail salons, including piercing and tattoo parlours

. Massage parlours

, Outdoor and indoor markets

. Auction houses

. Car showrooms

. Bingo halls, casinos and betting shops

. Spas

. Skating rinks

. Cinemas, theatres and concert halls

. Hotels, hostels, BnBs, campsites and boarding houses for commercial use

. Caravan parks/sites for commercial uses.

All retail premises must close but with a large number of notable exceptions that includes: supermarkets and other food shops, health shops, pharmacies including non-dispensing pharmacies, petrol stations, bicycle shops, home and hardware shops, laundrettes and dry cleaners, bicycle shops, garages, car rentals, pet shops, corner shops, newsagents, Post Offices and banks.

A Government spokesman said: “We are asking these businesses and premises and other venues not to open for trade from close of trade on March 23.

“The Government will look again at these measures in three weeks and relax them if the evidence shows this is possible.

“A business operating in contravention of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Business Closures) Regulations 2020 will be committing an offence.

“Environmental Health and Trading Standards officers will monitor compliance with these regulations, with police support provided if appropriate.

“Businesses and premises that breach them will be subject to prohibition notices, and potentially unlimited fines.”

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