How Barnard Castle became centre of attention in lockdown

While the roads were quiet, high streets deserted and millions of us glued to the 5pm daily press briefings rather than episodes of The Chase, one man made a now infamous 264-mile road trip from London to County Durham.

Dominic Cummings, then-PM Boris Johnson’s top aide, having been struck down with Covid, was spotted by locals despite the official advice he’d been part of setting telling us to “Stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives”. On May 22, 2020, the Mirror and Guardian broke news of his trip to Durham.

Following that same road trip was much of the British media who descended on Barnard Castle (pronounced in a range of strange variations across the news bulletins from Bernard Castle to Castle Bar-nard) chasing a story which sparked fury.

Barnard Castle. Boris Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock had tested positive for Covid-19 on March 27, four days into lockdown, and Cummings fled Downing Street to his ill wife, Spectator columnist Mary Wakefield, where they decided to drive to Durham that night.

It was weeks before the story broke back in early April when a resident tipped off the national newspapers they’d seen Cummings in his parents’ garden. The Guardian approached Downing Street but was initially told: “It’ll be a no comment on that one”.

A sign in Barnard Castle calls for the sacking of Dominic Cummings days after his lockdown trip was revealed. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Durham Police later said officers had spoken to Cummings’ dad on April 1 and he confirmed his son, daughter-in-law and their child were all present. “He said his son and son’s wife were displaying symptoms of coronavirus and were self-isolating in part of the property,” a force spokesman added.

“Officers explained to the family the arrangements around self-isolation guidelines and reiterated the appropriate advice around essential travel.”

On April 12 Cummings was again spotted walking in the Barnard Castle by retired chemistry teacher Robin Lees, whose claim was reported in the Observer and Sunday Mirror. He later admitted having gone for his now notorious drive to test his eyesight that day.

He admitted that having decided to return to work but being worried his vision might have been affected by Covid, he and his wife went for a half-hour drive to the outskirts of Barnard Castle, and walked near the riverbank. The family returned to London the next day.

After the news broke with the PM having doubled down and backed his right-hand man, the nation was furious. Cummings took the unprecedented step of hosting a press conference in the No 10 rose garden where he claimed he acted “reasonably” and did not regret his decisions.

A subject of ridicule… Dominic Cummings’ rose garden press conference serves as inspiration for a scarecrow in the Cotherstone Scarecrow Festival 2021, which had the theme of heroes and villains. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT) Dominic Cummings leaves his home the day after his Downing Street press conference. (Image: SARAH CALDECOTT)

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“The rules make clear that when dealing with small children that can be exceptional circumstances and I think that was exceptional circumstances,” he told socially-distanced reporters on a sunny May afternoon.

But his actions were later blamed for damaging public trust in the Government’s Covid rules and became a subject of national ridicule.

“If I was going to come up with a story I would come up with a better story than that,” he said a year later when he told a Parliamentary Committee: “I wish I’d never heard of Barnard Castle”.