Covid: Pub and restaurant fined after drinkers found inside

Indian Nights can still sell takeaways but is not allowed to let people eat or drink inside

A pub and restaurant have been fined £1,000 each after people were found breaching lockdown restrictions by drinking alcohol inside.

Officers said a customer was found having a drink while waiting for a takeaway at Indian Nights in East Bridgford, Nottinghamshire.

Three people were also found sitting drinking alcohol at The Wheatsheaf, a pub in Cropwell Bishop.

These customers were each given £200 fixed penalty notices.

Both businesses have been served with legal notices to ensure people do not consume food or drink on the premises, but are still allowed to serve takeaway customers or do deliveries in line with national guidance.

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Simon Robinson, leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, described the breaches of lockdown restrictions as "shocking".

"In undermining the current lockdown, these venues have demonstrated complete disregard for their customers, staff and local communities at a crucial time in our fight against Covid-19," he said.

The legal notices - known as prohibition notices - last for as long as the current lockdown restrictions are in place.

Three people were found sitting and drinking with the landlord present when officers visited the Wheatsheaf

The customers were all discovered on Wednesday evening, when Nottinghamshire Police officers visited the pub and council officers visited the restaurant.

Council officers found more than a dozen empty beer and wine bottles at the restaurant, leading them to believe other takeaway customers had previously been served with alcohol.

Police were also called to a house in Swale Grove in Bingham on Thursday night, where they found four men from different households and fined them all £200 each.