PUBS & BARS TOLD: STICK TO COVID RULES

PUBS and bars in Coventry which fail to follow new coronavirus guidelines face potentially losing their licenses, according to council bosses.

Licensed premises in the city which “knowingly cause serious nuisance or disorder in their communities” have been warned that they could be closed down.

The warning also applies to business which disregard new Covid-19 legislation, Coventry City Council has confirmed.

It comes after a rise in the number of complaints made to the council’s licensing team regarding practises in a number of bars and pubs across Coventry.

Since lockdown restrictions started easing on July 4, new measures were put in place to allow establishments to start trading after the sector virtually ground to a halt during the pandemic.

But, according to the council. over recent weeks, an increasing number of complaints have come in from customers or nearby residents.

It is believed icensing officials have contacted pubs and bars where complaints have been made, warning these establishments that action could be taken including potentially closing them down.

These establishments are thought to have been reminded they are under a legal obligation to uphold licensing objectives.

Councillor Abdul Khan, deputy leader at Coventry City Council and cabinet member for enforcement, said: “I want to be clear - we do not want to close any business down.

“Indeed, we have provided considerable support in helping hospitality businesses to reopen and we continue to do so.

“But people’s safety and wellbeing is always our number one priority in everything we do and this is no different.

“Premises must still act as good neighbours and responsible businesses throughout the pandemic, and they have a responsibility to ensure that their customers act accordingly as well.

“We know businesses are struggling because of the enforced lockdown but the reality is that if we do not follow the public health rules, another lockdown could be forced on us again.

“The majority of businesses are doing all they can, but some customers flout the rules and I want to be clear we are not targeting those businesses.

“But if we find any business consistently not complying with what they need to do, and they do not respond to our concerns around antisocial behaviour and disorder, then we will use the powers we have to close them until they do.”