London: Shisha bar owner faces massive fine of $13,700 for COVID rules breach
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The Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Friday that the group fled when the police arrived, but officers who searched the venue in Wembley, northwest London, found 21 shisha pipes lit and still warm
A shisha bar owner in London is facing a massive fine of $13,700, that is 10,000 pounds for COVID rules breach amid tier 3 and 4 lockdown due to the new strain of coronavirus.
Police in London burst in on about 50 people smoking shisha pipes, watching football, and playing loud music inside a cafe, a major breach of strict COVID-19 regulations banning any kind of socialising between people from different households.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement on Friday that the group fled when the police arrived, but officers who searched the venue in Wembley, northwest London, found 21 shisha pipes lit and still warm.
"I completely appreciate that 2020 has been a tough year for many of us, but now is not the time for people to start getting relaxed about the rules that have been put in place to help slow and reduce the spread of this virus," said Louis Smith, the police commander in the area.
Coronavirus infection rates are soaring in London, where a new variant of COVID-19 that is even more contagious is prevalent. Hospitals are reporting severe strain on their intensive care units, and schools in most of the capital have been ordered to close.