Calls for celebrations to mark the end of lockdown have been labelled as ‘crass’ by Cotswold District Council leader Joe Harris.
Conservative councillors had called on the local authority to allow for three days of celebration to mark the removal of coronavirus restrictions on July 19.
They want the council to offer free parking in town centre car parks, while also booking several local musicians, street performers and children’s entertainers to do small scale, modest pop-up shows.
But Liberal Democrat Councillor Harris said Covid-19 cases are rocketing and the removal of restrictions needs to be done with care.
“We’re all impatient for restrictions to end but it should be done sensitively,” he said.
“The Conservatives desire to turn the end of lockdown restrictions into some sort of celebration is crass at a time when many people are still vulnerable and in some cases frightened of ‘going back to normal’.
“Covid cases are also rocketing so I hope that their ‘Freedom Day’ won’t turn into ‘hindsight day’ in a few months’ time.
“If the Conservatives are serious about supporting local businesses out of lockdown they’d reform business rates which tip thousands of businesses into bankruptcy every year.”
