A coffee shop has been fined £42,000 for breaking lockdown rules by serving food and drinks to customers last November.
Finla Coffee in St Stephens Place, Plympton, was charged by Plympton City Council with continuing to sell food and drink to be consumed on the premises on November 6 th and 7 th last year, according to Plymouth Live.
The UK government had enforced a four-week lockdown last November to curb the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic and protect the NHS from being overwhelmed.
It lifted some restrictions after November but had to re-impose a full lockdown in December and for the rest of the winter, which saw some of the highest infection and death rates since the start of the pandemic.
The venue is owned by Deanna Yates, 34, and Michael Pendlebury, 35, both from Plympton.
The district judge at Exeter Magistrates' Court called the coffee shop’s behaviour “despicable and outrageous”.
Nick Lewin, prosecuting on behalf of Plymouth City Council, said the firm had "flagrantly disregarded" the regulations despite the council receiving numerous complaints from people saying Finla Coffee was serving food and drinks.
He said council staff visited on November 5th, 6th and 7 th accompanied by the police and they witnessed coffee and food being consumed on the premises.
He explained that penalty notices were issued on November 6th and 7th of £1,000 and £2,000 respectively - neither of which were paid.
Deputy District Judge Hine found the defendants guilty of all the charges.
He said it was a simple case of whether the regulations were in force and whether they were breached.
He said the court had been presented with "numerous photos" of inside and outside the cafe and he was satisfied that there were a serial breach of regulations.
Judge Hine said: "I find their behaviour was despicable. I find it outrageous and completely unjustified."
He said: "These regulations were issued to reduce the spread of a pandemic, by preventing people from being in close contact in a restaurant setting. The company deliberately failed to comply.”
He fined the defendants to pay £10,000 each. He also ordered Finla Coffee to pay £8,221 and Pendlebury and Yates to pay £2,002 each towards the court and council investigation costs.
The defendants also had to pay the victim surcharge of £181 each.
