The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Dundee pub raided over Covid breaches
Man charged as police act over reports of lock-in at GJS Bar and Diner
Police raided a Dundee pub which had already lost its licence for breaking coronavirus regulations after reports a group of people were drinking inside.
Officers issued five fixed penalty notices and arrested and charged a 58-year-old man following the swoop on GJS Bar and Diner in Mains Road on Thursday evening.
In November Dundee City Council’s licensing board revoked the bar’s licence at the behest of the police, who had already visited the premises 10 times over a two-week period in September, when pubs were allowed to operate under strict regulations.
Staff had not been wearing masks, groups of drinkers ignored social distancing rules, and no Track and Trace records were being kept.
Following a suspected lock-in, police successfully called for the pub’s licence to be removed.
A peopleDundee pub was raided on Thursday night after reports of six drinking inside. Police swooped on GJS Bar and Diner in Mains Road at 6pm and dished out five fixed penalty notices for lockdown breaches.
It is understood the doors were locked and six people were drinking inside.
A 58-year-old man was also arrested and later charged in connection with the incident.
The current lockdown, which has been in place since Boxing Day, means all pubs should be closed.
A spokesman for Police Scotland said: “Officers were called to a property on Mains Road, Dundee, at around 6pm on Thursday March 4 following reports Covid-19 regulations were being breached.
“A 58-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with this incident and was released on an undertaking.”
It comes after the premises licence for GJS was revoked for breaches of coronavirus regulations late last year.
In November police told Dundee City Council’s licensing board a suspected lock-in was the final straw before they reported the premises to the licensing authority.
It came after they had already visited the premises 10 times over a two-week period in September, when pubs were allowed to operate under strict regulations.
At the time, people could visit pubs only in groups of up to six people, from two households. Staff were told to wear face coverings and all customers were asked to provide contact details in case of a coronavirus outbreak.
But police told the licensing board that officers visited GJS and found staff without masks, groups of drinkers failing to maintain a two-metre distance from each other, and no Track and Trace records.
They said the landlord was continually “unable or unwilling” to follow coronavirus guidance.
The licensing board unanimously agreed to revoke both the premises licence and the landlord’s personal licence.
At the time, convener Stewart Hunter said GJS was the centre of the most severe breaches seen by the licensing board.
“This is much more serious than breaches we have dealt with previously,” he said.
“Officers from both police and licensing visited.
“I think this is a really serious case.”
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Much more serious than breaches we dealt with previously