A Sunderland pub has been closed and its landlord fined after police discovered a group of people sat drinking inside.
Officers from Northumbria Police alongside Covid marshals visited the Wheatsheaf in Monkwearmouth following a tip-off.
They found the group sat drinking inside and the landlord and five others were each fined £200 for breaching lockdown rules.
The pub’s premises licence owner and landlord have both been served with a Prohibition Notice by Sunderland City Council, which could result in prosecution and a fine should there be any further breaches.
The council's leader Coun Graeme Miller said: "This was a clear breach of the current lockdown rules which are in place to keep us all safe.
"We hope that this sends out a clear message to any businesses tempted to break the rules, that we will take action against those found to be putting people at risk."
Chief Inspector Nicola Wearing, of Northumbria Police, said: "We will continue to support our local authority partners around their engagement and enforcement activity with businesses.
"We all have a responsibility to reduce the spread of the virus in our region and we will continue to engage with the public about the restrictions, however, along with our partners, we are committed to taking appropriate action where necessary to protect our communities."
The council has also served Prohibition Notices against three Washington car washes which it found were continuing to operate in breach of the lockdown rules.
Notices were served against the IMO car wash in Hertburn Industrial Estate in Washington, the Mr C car wash on the Swan Industrial Estate in Washington and Express Hand Car Wash at Elswick Road in Washington.
All sites were found to be washing cars by hand in breach of the lockdown rules.
