‘Is this a joke?’: Sheffield Council defends 'waste of money' £500 coronavirus advertising

Sheffield Council has been forced to defend a coronavirus advertising trial after complaints you would have to break social distancing rules to read the text.
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The council paid two ‘iWalkers’ to stroll around the city carrying screens with electronic boards explaining the latest Covid-19 guidance.

But the three-day trial, costing £500, has been heavily criticised on social media with many people pointing out that the text is hard to read from more than the recommended two metre distance and asking whether the money could have been better spent.

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One of the iWalkers displaying a Covid-19 awareness message in Sheffield city centreOne of the iWalkers displaying a Covid-19 awareness message in Sheffield city centre
One of the iWalkers displaying a Covid-19 awareness message in Sheffield city centre
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Dave Cates commented: “I’m hoping this is some kind of joke? Got to break social distancing rules to read the text for a start! What an utter waste of taxpayers’ money. There's hardly any one in the city centre to read it anyway!”

Hester James wrote: “I saw these in town this week but couldn't read what was written on the screen so didn't know what they were for. To be able to read it, I would have had to stand much less than two metres away from the person while directly facing him which I didn't think was such a good idea at the moment.”

And Stuart Barfield joked: “If only city centres had specified places where signs advertising things and giving public notices could be posted.

“You could make them quite big and easy to read, and maybe charge companies for advertising on them. Who am I kidding, it will never catch on...”

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Responding to the criticism, a council spokeswoman said: “The iWalkers are a trial promotion to reach the younger population of Sheffield including students new to the city.

"Working together with both the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, we have received a strong indication that the Covid-19 prevention messages are an effective method of getting through to our younger residents of Sheffield. Pilot schemes at other local authorities have proved successful in using iWalkers to engage with younger people.

“As a responsible council, we seek to innovate and use different tactics away from traditional campaigns when normal routes do not always reach the desired engagement or target population.

"As such, we are confident in our efforts to trial new ways of working to prevent the spread of the virus in our city.”