Police tackle "new craze" of teenagers getting drunk and throwing lockdown parties at M6 services hotel

A new craze has caught on among teenagers in Lancashire with groups booking into hotels at motorway services and throwing all-night parties.
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The all-nighters, fuelled by drink and drugs, have been discovered taking place at the Ramada hotel at Charnock Richard Services on the M6 near Chorley.

Police were called to the services, between junctions 27 and 28, in the early hours of Saturday (October 31) to investigate reports of a party taking place in one of its hotel rooms.

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Officers visited one of the rooms where they found a group of teenagers drinking and flouting COVID-19 regulations, as well as evidence of drug use.

Police visited the Ramada hotel where they broke up a party and dispersed a group of teenagers who had gathered in one room to drink on HalloweenPolice visited the Ramada hotel where they broke up a party and dispersed a group of teenagers who had gathered in one room to drink on Halloween
Police visited the Ramada hotel where they broke up a party and dispersed a group of teenagers who had gathered in one room to drink on Halloween

Rooms at the Ramada hotel, which can be booked from just £40 per night, have attracted groups of young adults seeking a place to gather out-of-view of the authorities.

The group were dispersed and six teenagers were hit with £100 fines for failing to adhere to Lancashire's Tier 3 lockdown rules. One young man was also arrested for being drunk in charge of a vehicle.

Under Tier 3 lockdown, people are banned from socialising inside homes and hospitality venues with anybody they do not live with.

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Sergeant Harrison of Chorley Police, whose officers responded to the incident, said management at the Services are introducing new measures to prevent the illegal lockdown parties from happening again.

The lockdown party happened at the Ramada hotel at Charnock Richard Services in the early hours of Sunday, November 1The lockdown party happened at the Ramada hotel at Charnock Richard Services in the early hours of Sunday, November 1
The lockdown party happened at the Ramada hotel at Charnock Richard Services in the early hours of Sunday, November 1

Sergeant Harrison of Chorley Police said: "Lately there has been a new craze for young adults/teenagers to book into hotels at the Services on the motorway where they proceed to get drunk, possibly take drugs and breach Covid regulations.

"This occurred in the early hours of Saturday morning (November 1) and as a result one male was arrested for being drunk in charge of a vehicle and 6 people were issued with Covid breach tickets.

"Luckily the management at the services are all over the matter and working with police to ensure it doesn't happen again, as well as putting new procedures in place."

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In a warning to those youths who are gathering illegally for lockdown parties, he added: "We're coming for all of you. Your ASB, damage, abuse to the public and abuse of my staff will not be tolerated.

"We are going to hit you with criminal behaviour orders with strict conditions including stopping you associating with one another."

Ramada Hotels and services operator Welcome Break have been approached for comment.

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