VENUES SHUT DOWN OVER ILLEGAL WEDDINGS
TWO neighbouring west London businesses have been shut down for months for repeatedly breaking Covid lockdown rules.
Milan Palace and Tudor Rose, in Southall, have had their licenses suspended for three months for multiple breaches.
Both venues hosted rule-breaking wedding ceremonies in September and October, when the guest limit was 15 people.
A senior office from the Met Police condemned the “brazen actions” of the venues and said “their attempts to ignore the rules shows utter contempt for the thousands of legitimate businesses across London who have made excellent efforts to keep their business COVID secure”.
The venues are next door to each other on The Green, one of the main roads running through Southall.
As well as the closure, the Tudor Rose was handed a £1,000 fine for one breach and the Milan Palace was handed an approximate fine of £7,000 for three breaches.
Police Sergeant Guy Rooney said: “I visited both these venues on multiple occasions to warn them that their actions were in breach of the regulations and could result in enforcement. However, they took blatant steps to ignore my instructions, continuing to hold weddings and other ceremonies.”
Both had their licences suspended following a hearing in front of the Ealing Licensing Committee on Monday November 16.
Officers from London Metropolitan Police were called to shut down the event at the Tudor Rose in Southall on Tuesday October 13.
There, they found around 100 to 150 people in breach of coronavirus regulations.
Bodyworn footage from the Met showed crowds of guests who were not social distancing or taking other steps to prevent transmission of the virus.
Milan Palace had more than 60 people attending ceremonies during separate dates, between Friday September 25 and Sunday October 18.
Chief Superintendent Pete Gardner, the West Area policing commander, said: “The brazen actions of these neighbouring venues were completely selfish – they deserve to have their licence temporarily stripped for putting their community at risk.
“Likewise, their attempts to ignore the rules shows utter contempt for the thousands of legitimate businesses across London who have made excellent efforts to keep their business Covid-secure.
“This action alongside Ealing Council should be seen as a warning to those other businesses who flout the rules.
“Repeated breaches will result in escalated enforcement, which could potentially see licences being revoked.”
Ealing Council has been working with police to make sure business are sticking to coronavirus rules.
Councillor Joanna Camadoo-Rothwell, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for community safety and inclusion, said: “Enforcement action will be taken against businesses that do not follow the restrictions placed on them. We all have a responsibility for ensuring we follow the Covid-19 restrictions and work together to ensure the safety of ourselves and others. We will not hesitate in taking appropriate action against those that flout the regulations.”