I had the pleasure of meeting the Duke of Edinburgh on a number of occasions as an MP; the last time was several years ago at an evening reception at Buckingham Palace where he passed comments about golf at Royal Lytham in the wind and rainy conditions.
Throughout his life he gave great service to our nation and will be sadly missed and I know so many people in Fylde feel the same.
The details of his funeral on Saturday say a lot – he was a man who dedicated his life to Her Majesty The Queen and his family and so many causes, who still managed to be himself throughout.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Her Majesty The Queen and the Royal Family.
I reopened the gates at Lytham Hall on Monday; it is wonderful to see so many of our high street businesses, cafes, pubs, restaurants and attractions back open again.
The pandemic has been incredibly difficult for us all. With the tremendous success of the vaccination programme, we can now see a way back to normality.
Our shops and outdoor venues need our support more than ever, and I am sure we can do that while maintaining appropriate social distancing. If we can continue protecting the NHS, ensuring we see no spike in infections and the death rate, we will see more restrictions relaxed next month – and finally be able to meet up in each others’ homes.
I spoke to the Chief Inspector for Fylde regarding Lytham Green and there will be proportionate policing to ensure we do not have huge gatherings following the reopening of businesses – but we must do all we can to ensure we do not need policing. The end of the restrictions are in sight – so long as we stick to them for these next few important weeks.