Barnard Castle five years on from Dominic Cummings saga
The revelation sparked public outrage, undermined trust in the government’s lockdown policies, and gave the historic market town of Barnard Castle an unintended place in British political folklore.
Almost five years later, we returned to the town to see how locals remember the saga and whether the impact of the controversy still lingers, alongside asking them about their memories of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Dominic Cummings (Image: PA MEDIA) Back in April 2020, with the country in the grip of the first national lockdown, reports surfaced that Cummings had driven over 260 miles from London to Durham with his family while experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
The revelations did not end there—he later admitted to taking a 30-mile trip to Barnard Castle, claiming it was to check if he was fit to drive before making the return journey to London.
Public trust in government lockdown measures nosedived following the revelations, and then Prime Minister Boris Johnson was widely criticised for defending his top aide.
Scientists, including then-chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance, labelled Cummings’ actions as clearly against lockdown rules.
The Barnard Castle sign (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) Despite mounting pressure to resign, Cummings held a rare press conference in Downing Street’s Rose Garden, where he insisted he had acted legally and reasonably.
His explanation—driving to test one’s eyesight—became a source of national mockery, spawning memes and jokes that persist to this day.
Walking through the historic streets of Barnard Castle in 2025, frustration, disbelief, and amazement remain in the County Durham town.
Ciona McCann (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) While some residents recall the frustration and anger they felt at the time, others reflect on the bizarre moment with a little more confusion and often hilarity.
“I think it was disgusting that he lied like he did,” said Ciona McCann, who lives just outside Barnard Castle.
“The parties that were happening in Number 10 and other locations with top government ministers was awful.
“The pandemic wasn’t too bad for us because we had our own space, and I was productive with writing a book, but I feel for those that were on their own or didn’t have a garden.”
Stanley Pattinson (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) Those views were shared by Stanley Pattinson, who spent lockdown with his mum, who believes that it was ‘one rule for us and one rule for them’.
He said: “It’s not very good that everyone was taking precautions, not seeing loved ones, and they were doing whatever they liked.
“He lied about what he was doing, and I think trust in politicians went massively down in that moment.
“Yes, there’s tourism from the Dominic Cummings saga, and a lot more people heard about Barnard Castle – but it’s not ideal that it’s because of that.”
The scandal put Barnard Castle on the map in an unexpected way.
A fake blue plaque that was put up (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) Tourist interest in the town surged after the incident, with many visiting the historic castle and surrounding area, half in jest.
Souvenirs, mugs, and t-shirts branded with phrases like ‘Should have gone to Barnard Castle’ flew off the shelves in 2020 and 2021.
Even now, tourism has gone up in Barnard Castle – Ralph and Libby Richardson, who have lived in the town for 40 years, noted that the popularity of Barnard Castle went up, both for visitors and those who want to live there.
Ralph and Libby Richardson (Image: NORTHERN ECHO) They said: “Dominic Cummings changed the place. It used to be a tourist spot for half the year, but now people visit all year round.
“We see people in cafes and shops. It’s nice because more people are visiting and know of Barnard Castle, but it used to be a hub where you’d go into town and see everyone you knew, it’s not like that any more. It has its positives and negatives.
“There’s loads of houses going up around Barnard Castle as well – which also has its positives and negatives.”
While the couple have seen an increase in people moving to Barnard Castle and visiting there, they understand why people are still angry five years on from the moment.
“Lots of people died while they were doing things like Cummings did,” they added.
Dean Matthews (Image: NORTHERN ECHO)But it’s mainly anger at the situation, which still resonates with people in Barnard Castle.
Dean Matthews believes that the public was taken for “fools” by the Dominic Cummings incident – and that people shouldn’t have accepted the excuse of the senior political advisor.
Mr Matthews said: “The eyesight thing was a massive excuse – we just accepted it.
“The road he mentioned he drove was a B-road with such twists and turns that you would never use to test your eyesight.
“If lockdown was called now – no one would stick to it, and maybe for good reason. Trust in politicians from all political parties seems to be guilty of some rule breaches in the pandemic.
After the Cummings sage, even on TripAdvisor, reviews played on the theme, with visitors rating the town “the best place for an eye test,” while some view the town’s Specsavers store as a ‘local landmark’ to Dominic Cummings.
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Beyond the jokes, the political ramifications of the Cummings saga were significant.
His actions contributed to a collapse in public confidence in Covid restrictions, something later dubbed the “Cummings Effect.”
Surveys at the time showed a decline in compliance with lockdown rules in the wake of the controversy.
Cummings eventually left Downing Street in November 2020.
He later turned on his former boss, describing Johnson as “unfit to govern” and accusing him of “mishandling the pandemic response”.
For Barnard Castle, the short-term notoriety led to a tourism boost, but for many, it is time to move on.
As one resident, who wished to remain anonymous, put it, “We’ll always be known for that ridiculous excuse, but hopefully, people who come for the joke will stay for the history.”