Birmingham Shisha lounge gets £10k fine over Covid-19 breach

Footage from West Midlands Police shows officers approaching the venue

A shisha lounge has been fined £10,000 after about 250 people were found inside "displaying no regard to the current legislation".

West Midlands Police were called to Kasablanca Shisha Lounge in Birmingham on Friday over reports of loud music.

When officers arrived at the Deritend venue, the owner closed the shutters and turned off the music to "deter" police from entering, the force said.

An investigation was launched and the owner was issued a £10,000 fine.

Elsewhere in the West Midlands, a second £10,000 fine was given to a venue in Walsall after an illegal rave was broken up in September.

Officers on patrol near a unit on Phoenix Business Park in Stafford Street noticed a number of cars coming and going regularly.

Police found music equipment, food and drinks inside the unit and said about 100 people had been inside.

The owner was interviewed and claimed the premises was broken into on 14 September, but after further investigation, police issued a £10,000 fine.

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Supt Rich Harris said: "This was a really busy weekend for us with people continuing to flout the rules across the force [area].

"Businesses have a responsibility not only to their customers and their staff but to the wider community and there must be consequences when Covid-19 guidance is simply ignored."