A DELIVERY firm has said it will remind drivers masks must be worn in public places, including shops in Wales, after a claim a driver said he didn’t need to wear one as he was from Birmingham. 

It’s claimed a driver delivering items to the Aberystwyth branch of the Waterstones bookstore had to be told three times to wear a mask. 

The bookchain said it has contacted the delivery firm and has been assured it will investigate.

The driver, it’s claimed, eventually said he didn’t have a mask and questioned how he was supposed to know the rules in Wales. 

The incident was reported on Twitter by a user named Timothy Boyle who repeated the exchange via his account. 

He wrote: “I was in Waterstones/Aberystwyth today when a DPD van arrived. The lady in the shop asked the DPD man 3 times to put on a mask. He answered “Don’t have one”, then “We’re from Birmingham, we don’t need them there”. I said “We’re not in Birmingham now” … 

“to which he replied “It’s our first time here, how are we supposed to know?” #DPD @DPD_news please impress on your staff that they should take time to familiarise themselves with the law when delivering outside England.” 

 

A spokesman for delivery firm DPD said it would investigate and “remind the relevant delivery teams on the regulations.” 

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A spokeswoman for Waterstones said: "Our Aberystwyth bookshop highlighted the incident yesterday and we have raised it with DPD. They assured us that they will investigate. We expect this to be an isolated incident, and it is the responsibility of delivery companies to ensure their drivers are aware of varying requirements across the UK."

The Welsh Government has said any changes to regulations will be announced in its usual review held every three weeks and that current regulations require a face covering to be worn in indoor premises that are open to the public, other than by those under 11 or with a reasonable excuse. 

It plans to continue to require face coverings are worn in most indoor public places when Wales moves to what’s called alert level zero when most regulations are relaxed or removed from August 7.  

This article originally appeared on our sister site The National.