Lincolnshire cafe loses alcohol licence over lockdown opening

People were found drinking inside Beira Alta Deli

A cafe has lost its alcohol licence for opening during the nationwide coronavirus lockdown.

Lincolnshire Police was tipped off by a member of the public about Beira Alta Deli in Boston.

People were found drinking inside on 29 May, in breach of the government's closure order issued on 21 March.

The bar's owner Patricia Pereira said she had opened for takeaway "but had been distracted by the customers".

Officers found people sitting inside the cafe as well as evidence she had not been serving drinks for taking out - including alcohol in a whiskey glass and coffee cups in a bin without takeaway lids on - according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"I did break the rules but it was a situation which was not normal," Ms Pereira told the hearing of the Boston Licensing Committee.

"The past two years I've been open I never had a problem. I do try my best to be within the law."

'Nobody was taking it away'

Sgt Kim Enderby, alcohol licensing manager for the force, said Beira Alta Deli had "showed a disregard for public safety and the licensing objectives".

"Not only were customers seen inside drinking but also a number of persons gathered outside the premises drinking coffee they had just purchased," he said.

"The premises had failed to implement any social distancing measures whatsoever for what they described as takeaway sales; unfortunately nobody was taking it away."

Ms Pereira has 21 days to appeal against the decision.