A café owner will have to pay after persistently flouting Covid-19 restrictions just as Nottinghamshire was about to enter the toughest of restrictions due to the high numbers of infection rates and rising deaths.
In November last year Christine Stala opened her café The Mustard Seed in Gedling despite such outlets not being allowed to open due to the pandemic.
She opened the café numerous times and refused to close, despite being fined the maximum amount for doing so.
Eventually the local council was forced to serve her with a closure notice.
And now she has been found guilty at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court of six offences of contravening regulations by failing to close and continuing to serve food and drink to customers at the outlet between 12 and 19 November 2020.
She must now pay fines of more than £11,000.
Infections in the community increased rapidly nationally between the end of August and November. Over 17,000 a day were being infected and the death rate was soaring as the number continued to climb, with thousands occupying intensive care beds.
The percentage of people who tested positive in the region was one of highest in country, and at the time of the November offences Nottinghamshire was about to enter Tier 3 restrictions for the second time as a result of rising rates.
This was before there were any vaccinations and just ahead of a second lockdown ordered by the government to protect the most vulnerable and stem the flow of hospital admissions and inevitable deaths.
Stala, 70, of Lambley, was handed a £1,760 fine for each offence, totalling £10,560, ordered to pay £510 prosecution costs and a £190 victim surcharge after being convicted in her absence at court yesterday (Monday 5 July 2021).
The café had previously been served with a three-month closure order in November, secured by Gedling Borough Council and served by Nottinghamshire Police, following a number of Covid breaches.
Assistant Chief Constable Steve Cooper said: “These blatant breaches of the restrictions were committed during a period when there was a rising number of Covid deaths and increasing numbers of people being infected and admitted to hospital.
“Despite multiple visits, advice and warnings, previous fines and a closure order, the café owner still chose to ignore the rules by allowing people to come inside and be served.
“During the pandemic it has been paramount for all businesses to follow the local and national restrictions laid out by government to help stop the spread of Covid however, the proprietor blatantly ignored the rules which were in place to protect everyone and prevent the spread of the virus and continued to keep her premises running.
“Nottinghamshire Police officers have continued to engage, explain and encourage people to follow the rules in the first instance but, as we have consistently shown, where necessary we have not hesitated to take enforcement action against businesses or individuals who have persisted in blatantly breaching the regulations, despite our advice and guidance.”
Gedling Borough Council leader John Clarke said: “Residents and businesses in Gedling and across the country have had to make a number of sacrifices to keep each other safe.
“At the height of the pandemic, when thousands were in hospital, the owners of this café decided they would break the lockdown rules and open up without any regard for the health and safety of nearby residents.
“We had no choice but to prosecute and, while I understand people have a right to protest, they should not be doing things that could cause others harm and I welcome the court’s decision to find them guilty of these offences.
“I’d like to thank our officers and Nottinghamshire Police for their professionalism during this matter and for their ongoing work to protect our residents during the pandemic.”
