Coronavirus: Liverpool bar fine for 'too many' customers

The licensee of the 24 Kitchen Street bar has been fined

A bar that allowed so many people inside police said it made social distancing "virtually impossible" has been fined.

Officers found "tables with more than six people gathered around" at the 24 Kitchen Street bar in Liverpool on Friday, Merseyside Police said.

They said customers were walking around the bar without face coverings and there was a lack of social distancing in the smoking area.

The licensee has been fined £1,000.

Tighter restrictions have come into force in Liverpool and other parts of northern England recently after a spike in coronavirus cases.

It is now illegal to meet people indoors from other support bubbles in the Liverpool City Region, Warrington, Hartlepool and Middlesbrough.

Ch Insp Karl Baldwin said: "It is extremely disappointing that for the second weekend in a row we have been forced to issue a fine because a premises has failed in its obligations to act responsibly at a critical time for this city.

"We have seen cases of coronavirus rise rapidly in Merseyside in recent weeks, and restrictions have increased as a result in an effort to curb the rise."

He said the "overwhelming majority of businesses are doing their bit", by observing new rules for table service only and in equipping staff with face coverings.

"We will not allow a minority to undermine those efforts, and I want to take this opportunity to call upon everyone to act responsibly to protect our loved ones and ourselves," he added.