A Wolverhampton flooring retailer which continued to operate during the lockdown has been fined £1,000.
Mayfair Carpets, in the city’s Park Lane, Fallings Park, was also issued with a prohibition notice after it was found to be breaching coronavirus restrictions.
City of Wolverhampton Council officers visited the premises on 9 January and found that it was letting customers inside, despite the regulations only allowing for home deliveries or collection.
Officers from the council’s environmental health team had already issued the business with a warning letter on 7 January after receiving a complaint the business was breaking current restrictions.
The council then contacted the business numerous times on 7 and 8 January to provide extensive advice on how to operate in line with government guidance.
‘This new variant of Covid-19 is much more aggressive and presents a much greater risk than during the first lockdown, there is no excuse for blatant disregard of the rules. We’re not talking about genuine mistakes here, but deliberate breaches of the rules. Our hospitals are filling up with Covid patients, this is an emergency and we must all follow the rules to bring the virus under control,’ says Cllr Steve Evans, City of Wolverhampton Council’s cabinet member for city environment.
‘There is simply no excuse for any business to be breaking the rules and we will not hesitate to fine and close down any establishment that puts public safety at risk. Our message is simple – break the rules and face a fine. No business is above the law and they must put the safety of their staff and customers first.’
