London’s famous Borough Market becomes UK’s first outdoor space to enforce wearing face masks

A MARKET yesterday became the UK’s first outdoor space to enforce the wearing of face masks.

Customers and traders at London’s Borough Market can now be fined £50 for failing to do so.

The rule can be enforced thanks to its own bylaws which date to before the Victorian era.

Spokeswoman Kate Howell said: “I think we just have to be responsible.

“We’re open as an essential retailer but we want to keep it safe for everybody.”

Market organisers have encouraged mask-wearing and distancing throughout the pandemic.

But with rising infection rates in the capital and the third national lockdown in England organisers felt they had to go further.

Ms Howell said: “Whilst we’ve done everything we can to politely encourage people to wear masks and keep to social distancing and keep the space safe, now is the time to really show our intent.”

She added: “We’ve got to a stage where we feel as responsible landlords that, actually given we do have these bylaws, in our reckoning that we’re able to say, ‘We’re going to make this mandatory’.”