Council chiefs have issued a closure notice to a beauty salon after a poster in its window denied the existence of Covid-19.
The document at Skin Kerr in Bootle, Merseyside, also stated no face coverings were being worn on site despite rules requiring staff to use surgical face masks and visors, and that "Covid talk is banned".
The local authority, Sefton Council, has now taken action to temporarily close the premises, the LiverpoolEcho reports.
Paulette Lappin, cabinet member for regulatory, compliance and corporate services, said: "It is the responsibility of businesses across Sefton to ensure they have the required measures in place to protect their staff and their customers from Covid-19 infection and we know that most of them are doing their utmost to comply.
"And the council is working closely with the Health and Safety Executive to provide support and advice to our local businesses.
"However, when businesses refuse to comply and insist on putting people at risk from the pandemic, we will not hesitate to take action against them as we have with Skin Kerr in Bootle."
Two areas on Merseyside have high levels of coronavirus infections.
Nearby Knowsley has the second highest infection rate in England, which is up from 324.1 to 498.5, with 752 new cases.
Liverpool is in third place, where the rate has also increased sharply, from 306.4 to 487.1 with 2,426 new cases.
The list has been calculated by the PA news agency and is based on Public Health England data published on Monday October 5 on the Government's coronavirus dashboard.
