People pretending to be Dominic Cummings have flooded Barnard Castle’s TripAdvisor page with spoof reviews after the senior Downing Street aide confirmed he had travelled to the market town during lockdown.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s adviser gave an unprecedented news conference on Monday following reports he had travelled from London to Durham with his wife and young child, despite government advice to “stay at home“.

His account of what happened included a “test drive” from his parents’ farm to Barnard Castle – 15 days after he developed COVID-19 symptoms – to check he was well enough to drive home.

Reviews have since been posted on the beauty spot’s TripAdvisor page in droves, with one saying: “Whizzed up on a whim from London with the family. Was exhilarating to feel the wind in my scalp.

“My wife fancied a cream tea and a packet of locketts but for some reason the cafe had been closed down.

“Easy parking.”

Another reviewer, who identified themselves as “Dom C”, praised the “great childcare facilities”.

One said Barnard Castle was a “mere 5 hour drive from Islington (where Mr Cummings lives) and well worth a visit, especially when one feels the need to get away from it all”.

The reviewer continued: “Upon arrival, the quiet in those ancient streets was broken only by the hack of my cough; droplets of my spittle drifting on the wind providing the nearest thing we saw to rain in the entire 10 to 14 days spent in the glorious North East.”

Another described their visit to the market town as “a chance to really let my hair down and get away from work”.

“Lots of fresh air, even with my persistent cough,” they said.

One reviewer said they had left London “to escape the crowds” and would “do it again in a heartbeat” – but “the rest of you should stay at home though”.

Source: Read Full Article