Coronavirus: Hotel manager fined £10,000 over ‘200 at funeral’
Venue also banned from hosting events until January, police say
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Your support makes all the difference.A hotel manager has been fined £10,000 for breaching coronavirus restrictions by hosting a wake with over 200 guests.
The Castle Bromwich Hall Hotel in Solihull has been banned from running events until January, West Midlands Police said, after the huge funeral party was held on 25 September.
The force said it was the first maximum fine they had issued.
In England, the maximum number of attendees allowed at a funeral is 30, while wakes are subject to the rule of six.
Officers said it was not the first time the hotel manager had flouted coronavirus restrictions, having previously received cautions for number of events held at the venue with no measures in place for Track and Trace, social distancing or table service.
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Temporary assistant chief constable Claire Bell, who is leading the force's response to coronavirus, said: "We are living in difficult times and we understand people want to celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed however we must all play our part to follow the rules which are in place to help stop the spread of the virus and to keep everybody safe.
"We engaged with all those at the funeral gathering and explained why they needed to leave which they duly did.
“It is the hotel manager who has been penalised for repeatedly organising events that breach the Covid-19 legislation; his actions have blatantly disregarded measures to keep people safe in a pandemic.”
Ms Bell added: "Businesses have a responsibility not only to their customers and their staff but to the wider community and there must be consequences when Covid-19 guidance is simply ignored."
The manager’s personal licence has been suspended and a full hearing by the council's licensing panel will take place later this month.
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