Bar closed after ‘worst’ flouting of Covid rules

A BIRMINGHAM bar has had its licence suspended after a police officer claimed it was the ‘worst’ flouter of Covid rules he had dealt with.

The council suspended the licence of PBs in Key Hill, in the Jewellery Quarter, after numerous breaches of guidelines.

Police made several visits to the bar in early August, where people were dancing on a raised platform as others stood around. Government advice is that people should be seated at all times and that music should not be played too loudly.

In a visit on August 15 one officer stated that there were “around 30 people inside, all standing, and around half that number outside, with no social distancing taking place in the premises.”

Police spoke to the licence holder on at least seven occasions but their suggestions were not implemented.

Sgt Guiss, the licensing officer for Birmingham, said: “We’ve done an awful lot to try to actually remedy these problems. The police’s approach is basically what we call ‘four E’, which is educate, explain, encourage, and then we eventually have to go to enforce.

“Unfortunately, this is the worst premises I’ve been dealing with in Birmingham, in all honesty. “The premises shows no actual engagement in the whole Covid process, and having visited the premises on a number of occasions I’m genuinely concerned for the health and safety of the clientele, as well as for myself and my officers who are dealing with this situation.”

Speaking at the meeting, licence holder Nickeshia Reid-Davidson insisted she had added more seating to make the bar Covid-safe, insisting that she had no prior knowledge of the need for people to be seated. However, the committee decided that her explanations were not satisfactory.

It suspended the licence and moved to remove Ms Reid-Davidson as the Designated Premises Supervisor, stating: “The subcommittee agreed with the police that the causes of the serious crime appeared to originate from unsatisfactory internal management procedures at the premises. “The sub-committee was not impressed with the licence holder’s representations, or her answers to questions. All in all, the sub-committee considered her to have failed to take her responsibilities seriously.

“The sub-committee therefore determined that it was both necessary and reasonable to impose the interim step of suspension to address the immediate problems with the premises.”

A full review of the premise licence will now take place within 28 days.