Cocktail bar fined £2,000 for failing to close in Covid lockdown
The owners of Nine Jars in Haverhill were sentenced at Suffolk Magistrates' Court - Credit: Google Maps
The owners of a west Suffolk cocktail bar have been fined £2,000 after failing to close on two days in the third Covid lockdown last year.
NJ Bistros Ltd, which manages Nine Jars in High Street, Haverhill, was sentenced at Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
The firm was charged with three counts of failing to close a restricted business or service while pandemic restrictions were in place.
The alleged breaches happened on April 26, 27 and 28 last year.
NJ Bistros denied the charges but was found guilty by magistrates for breaches on April 26 and 28.
The charge relating to April 27 was dismissed.
NJ Bistros was fined £1,000 for each offence, plus ordered to pay prosecution costs and a victim surcharge.
Most Read
- 1 Revealed: The most isolated villages in Suffolk
- 2 Mystery surrounds container ships at anchor off Suffolk coast
- 3 Protests against soaring fuel prices planned for Monday
- 4 Ambitious plans to regenerate 'dilapidated' part of Suffolk town revealed
- 5 Double-decker bus bought on eBay becomes new home for evicted Suffolk family
- 6 One of north Suffolk's 'most productive' arable farms up for sale
- 7 Torquay sign two released Ipswich Town players
- 8 Woman jailed for having sex with Ipswich schoolboy
- 9 First cases of monkeypox reported in Suffolk
- 10 'I'll do whatever's in my power' - Ball makes vow to Ipswich Town fans
Andy Drummond, West Suffolk Council's cabinet Member for regulatory, said: "These government regulations were put in place to try to protect people and to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 so that the daily life that we all took for granted, such as meeting family and getting back to business, could return as quickly as possible.
"Councils were tasked with enforcing these rules which we did but, as with this case, before any prosecution was considered we always gave advice and support to help businesses to comply. Prosecution is always a last resort and we welcome the court’s decision."
