Should have gone to Barnard Castle: Social media users mock Cummings trip to beauty spot

Dominic Cummings has been known for his brilliance in harnessing the power of social media to campaign against political opponents.

However, the special adviser is now trending in a way he probably never thought he would - as the butt of many jokes and memes about his trip to Barnard Castle.

Many made the point that an hour-long round trip in the car with a small child in the back was an unconventional way to test eyesight, joking that one "should have gone to Barnard Castle" instead of Specsavers.

The Barnard Castle TripAdvisor page was also full of spoof reviews from people enjoying the joke.

One wrote: "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 lockets but for some reason the cafe had been closed down."

Another said: "came for an eye test and brought the whole family".

Others posted that it was a "superb place to escape the UK lockdown and labelled it an "excellent place to cough".

Mr Cummings said on Monday he had gone on a "test drive" to the market town, half an hour from where he had been staying in Durham.

He said he had been spotted by a passer-by, but that he and his family had followed social distancing measures.

"I don't regret what I did," he insisted, saying his journey from London to seek childcare constituted "exceptional circumstances".

"I was trying to balance all of these very complicated things."

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