Plans to hold a socially-distanced street event for a group of Larkfield kids have been scuppered

Two community activists say they are disappointed after council chiefs told them public health restrictions mean it cannot take place.

Officials also told the organisers, Terry McIver and his partner Jane Watt, that even if it was permitted they would charge them up to £1,000 to close the road.

Terry and Jane and their neighbours in Caithness Road have been playing outdoor bingo throughout the lockdown, raising more than £2,000 for charity and they wanted to do something for the kids in their neighbourhood following a lost summer.

The couple usually organise a bus run each year and had booked a trip to Blackpool before this was cancelled due to the coronavirus lockdown.

With no prospect of a local group day out to regular venues like Heads of Ayr or Blair Drummond Safari Park due to current booking rules, the group instead planned a small outdoor gathering for young people in their area, with appropriate distancing, for Sunday.

But their plan looks to have been quashed.

Terry, 50, said: "We just wanted to put a smile on the kids' faces.

"We want them to enjoy themselves.

"They've been though so much and haven't been anywhere during lockdown.

"We were just looking for a part of the road to be closed, between numbers 22 and 30.

"We asked the council and they said it would cost between £600 and £1,000 to close the road.

"I think it's a bit much, especially as it is for the kids.

"We'd bought all the food and booked the hire of a bouncy castle and Mickey and Minnie Mouse and Anna and Elsa Frozen characters.

"We also booked a DJ and a face painter and were going to serve hot dogs and burgers."

The couple stress that they are mindful of social distancing, having adhered to rules during all their open air bingo sessions.

They had carefully planned similar measures for Sunday to ensure everyone's safety.

Terry said: "I met with parents to discuss social distancing measures and keeping at a two-metre distances, all those regulations would be in place."

When the idea of closing the street was turned down Jane then came up with a back-up plan of using an overgrown car park in the street, if residents agreed to clear it up.

She approached owners Larkfield Housing Association but turned to the Tele when she initially received no reply from them.

Jane, 57, said: "This is just to give the kids a wee bit of enjoyment."

Neighbour John Murray, 50, said: "Everyone mucked in during lockdown with the bingo nights and it was good for the community spirit.

"The kids have had nowhere to go.

"And I think it would be a bit much for the council to ask for all that money."

A spokesperson for Inverclyde Council told the Tele that current Scottish Government guidance says public gatherings inside or outside are still prohibited.

There are a number of exceptions including where a gathering is of people from up to five households and is held outdoors.

The council said: "In terms of sport and recreation the guidance says 'You can meet and take part in outdoor recreation with people from up to four other households at a time. You should meet in small numbers – no more than 15 people in total at a time'.

“Inverclyde, as a wider community, has been hard hit by Covid-19 and it is vital, for everyone’s health and safety, to continue to follow all the guidelines to limit the spread of the virus.

“When it is appropriate to hold events again, there is a formal, legal process which needs to be followed to close a road – a process which clearly has costs attached.

"Unfortunately, it is not simply a matter of coning off the street.

"A legal notice has to be drafted.

"This has to be advertised in the local paper as a public notice.

"Diversion routes need to be worked out and staff need to put signs in place to alert drivers about the road closure and the diversion.

"In some cases signs have to be custom made for specific diversions.”

A spokesman for Larkfield Housing Association said they would be unable to permit the car park gathering due to Covid-19 restrictions and have offered to donate snacks and drinks for a back garden gathering instead.

They said: “We have signposted residents to the appropriate guidance so they can host a socially distanced celebratory event for children coming out of lockdown within their gardens.

“Larkfield HA is delighted to be donating food and drink for the children in attendance.”