Finedon club to pay penalty after two Covid breaches

The £1,000 fine was handed out by Wellingboough Council
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A club in Finedon has been served with a £1,000 fixed penalty notice after Covid safety breaches were witnessed during two separate visits by council officers.

Finedon Old Band Club in Orchard Road was visited by Wellingborough Council’s environmental health team on the evening of Saturday, September 26, and again on Saturday, October 3, by officers undertaking routine checks.

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Despite advice being given at the time of the first visit, and in the days afterwards, breaches were still evident when the club was revisited a week later.

The Old Band Club, FinedonThe Old Band Club, Finedon
The Old Band Club, Finedon

At both visits officers witnessed a lack of social distancing within the premises and inadequate controls in place to comply with the ‘rule of six’ which came into force on September 14

Due to the timescales involved and the fact the business had failed to act upon informal advice at the first visit, the fixed penalty notice was served. The club now has 28 days to pay this, or risk prosecution.

Cllr Graham Lawman, chairman of the council’s services committee, said: “It is unfortunate that this business did not act upon the guidance and informal advice of officers, but serious or ongoing non-compliance will not be tolerated in any business.

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"The Government have given local authorities the tools to ensure compliance and the borough council will not hesitate to use these when circumstances require it.

"We are currently seeing an increase in cases of Covid-19 in the county, so businesses and the public all need to work together to help reduce this.”

The council’s environmental health team have been working to help businesses comply with all obligations, by providing guidance and education.

Businesses requiring advice or support they can email the borough council’s health protection team at: [email protected].

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