Telford events firm gets wedding ban after 120-guest party

The council said the ban was supported by West Mercia Police

A company has been banned from hosting weddings after 120 people were found at a post-wedding party at its banqueting hall in Shropshire.

Excellency Midlands Ltd was fined £10,000 by West Mercia Police after officers visited the venue in Telford last Friday.

The ban for the "reckless" breach of government regulations has been issued by Telford and Wrekin Council.

It will last as long as restrictions on the number of guests remain in place.

Currently only 15 people are allowed to attend a wedding.

Police said they were called to the venue in Stafford Park, at about 17:00 BST on Friday.

"Beggars belief"

The event was not the first time the company had breached Covid-19 regulations during the pandemic, the council said.

Police and council officials spoke to the company about the rules for weddings but "they didn't take on board our advice", the spokesman added.

David Sidaway, chief executive of the council, said: "It beggars belief that people and a venue can be so reckless in the current circumstances.

"This case highlights a lack of fairness to the other businesses in the borough who are following the regulations and a lack of fairness to all those people who may come into contact with the 120 who were at the party and whose lives and livelihoods will be put at risk as a result."

• SOCIAL DISTANCING: What are the rules now?

• BUBBLES: How do they work and who can be in yours?

• SYMPTOMS: What are they and how to guard against them?

• LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?