Sheffield bar fined for Covid rule breach
The shisha bar has been fined for the second time in two months
A Sheffield shisha bar has been fined £4000 for breaking coronavirus lockdown rules.
The venue, in the Wicker area, was raided by South Yorkshire Police on Friday night (8 January).
Officers discovered 13 people inside, as well as around 150 cannabis plants. They were seized, alongside 35 shisha pipes.
A 35 year old man was arrested on suspicion of production of cannabis, and has since been released under investigation while enquiries continue.
Each individual was handed a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for £200 for breaching COVID-19 regulations by way of an unlawful gathering.
The bar was also fined £2000 back in November for having people on the premises.
Superintendent Mark James from Sheffield’s command team said: “This premises has been the subject of repeated concerns within the community, who first reported breaches to us in November last year.
“Then, as now, we worked in partnership with the local authority and environmental health colleagues to visit the premises and take action. It is incredibly disappointing that the premises has once more been found to be in breach of regulations that are in place to protect and save lives.
“We know that for the general public and the vast majority of our communities who have made considerable sacrifice to abide by the rules, instances like this cause a lot of frustration. I hope the public are reassured by the swift action taken to address these breaches – we take this incredibly seriously.
“These restrictions are in place to prevent the spread of this virus and save lives. To disregard this and put peoples’ lives at risk is unacceptable.”
You can report breaches of COVID-19 regulations by calling 101