London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 07, 2025

British women fined for going on WALK, told by police that carrying tea is ‘classed as picnic’

British women fined for going on WALK, told by police that carrying tea is ‘classed as picnic’

Two women in the UK were fined by police for driving five miles to go for a quiet walk, with officers telling the women that the peppermint tea they were carrying counts as an unlawful picnic.

Derbyshire police reportedly “surrounded” the women during their walk at Foremark Reservoir on Wednesday and issued them with £200 fines. Police officers told the women that their tea was “classed as a picnic” and that driving elsewhere to go on a walk is “not in the spirit” of the government’s coronavirus lockdown.

The government’s lockdown, however, does not prohibit Brits from traveling to a nearby open space to walk, nor are there any rules against taking tea, coffee, or any other hot drinks.

According to the official UK guidelines, outdoor exercise “should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel a short distance within your area to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space).”

One of the walkers, Jessica Allen, told the BBC that “there were loads of police” in the area and that she “thought someone had been murdered” due to the heavy presence.

“The next thing, my car is surrounded. I got out of my car thinking ‘There’s no way they’re coming to speak to us.’ Straight away they start questioning us,” she recalled. “One of them started reading my rights and I was looking at my friend thinking ‘This must be a joke’.”

It is unclear on what legal grounds Derbyshire Police fined the two women.

Derbyshire Police’s actions were condemned by civil liberties advocacy organization Liberty, as well as the Network for Police Monitoring, while former Guardian editor Kate Carter called the incident “absolutely insane.”


 Conservative MP Andrew Bridgen — who represents North West Leicestershire – also expressed concern over the police abusing their powers, tweeting, “I’m concerned that my constituents are facing fines from Derbyshire Police for taking exercise in what I would class as the local area.”

Bridgen added that it is important “common sense is used when enforcing guidelines,” before branding the police fines as “rather overzealous.”


Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, Derbyshire Police have repeatedly been scrutinized for their extreme crackdowns on those perceived to be breaking coronavirus regulations.

The police department has used drones to publicly shame alleged offenders taking walks in outdoor areas, and in March, they even spoiled the famously beautiful Buxton Blue Lagoon with black dye in an effort to deter people from visiting.

In a statement to the BBC, police said the women’s exercise “could easily have been taken” closer to home, but that each officer will use their “professional judgement on a case-by-case basis” and that people should “expect to be challenged” about their movements.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
Poland Implements Border Checks Amid Growing Migration Tensions
Political Dispute Escalates Between Trump and Musk
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
Amazon Reaches Milestone with Deployment of One Millionth Robot
US Senate Votes to Remove AI Regulation Moratorium from Domestic Policy Bill
Yulia Putintseva Calls for Spectator Ejection at Wimbledon Over Safety Concerns
Jury Deliberations in Diddy Trial Yield Partial Verdict in Serious Criminal Charges
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
King Charles Plans Significant Role for Prince Harry in Coronation
Two Chinese Nationals Arrested for Espionage Activities Against U.S. Navy
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Extreme Heat Wave Sweeps Across Europe, Hitting Record Temperatures
×