The manager of Helensburgh's Costa coffee shop says she has decided to completely close the doors of the shop to try and help control the spread of the coronavirus.

Ailsa Adams said she was taking the measure because she "loves this community" and "wants to do right by everyone".

While restaurants, cafes, pubs, clubs and other hospitality and entertainment businesses across the UK were ordered by the Prime Minister to close completely from Saturday, takeaway services were, and are, not covered by the ban.

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That meant that Costa outlets, and many other cafes across the country, remained in operation to continue providing a service to their communities.

But on Saturday there were reports from across the UK of large numbers of people flocking to seaside towns, directly flouting the government's pleas on social isolation.

One such town was Largs, where social media posts reported people buying food and drink to take away from the town's Costa outlet, and other takeaways and cafes, and gathering in groups on the seafront.

While there were no such reports of large crowds gathering in Helensburgh, Ailsa said she had been given the choice by Costa HQ to shut the doors of the cafe in West Princes Street, and had decided to do so to protect both her staff and the wider community.

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In a post on Facebook, Ailsa said: "After talking with the company, I have been given the choice to close my doors at Costa Helensburgh. The company gave me this choice – I made it, I own it!

"I believe I have a duty to protect this community and slow the spread of Covid-19 and the impact this will have on frontline services.

"If our store had been drive through and given us both a safer social distancing protection with much deserved coffee breaks for the key workers in this community, who are the real heroes, I would have stayed open.

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"Lomondgate will trade for as long as they can.

"I hope if you don't think these measures are necessary that you will understand my intentions are genuinely because I feel I must protect my team and because I love this community and I want to do right by everyone.

"I do not take it lightly what I am doing at all, I hope to be back trading safely and as soon as possible. Stay safe – and don't get used to instant coffee."

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