"restrictions around weddings have been put in place"
Police broke up a wedding party in London after around 100 guests were found to be secretly celebrating inside.
Officers were called to Chaudhry’s TKC restaurant in Southall, shortly after 7 pm on Sunday, November 1, 2020, after receiving reports of a large wedding inside.
Upon arriving at the scene, one of the event organisers attempted to convince officers that there were only 15 guests present.
However, police discovered a large reception of approximately 100 people who were celebrating behind a curtained-off room in the back.
Officers told the wedding party organisers that the gathering was in clear breach of the Coronavirus regulations.
At the time, the regulations meant that wedding ceremonies and sit-down receptions were permitted to have 15 attendees.
However, following Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement of a second lockdown, wedding ceremonies cannot take place unless there are exceptional circumstances.
The event at Chaudhry’s TKC was shut down and two men have now been reported for consideration of a fine.
Chief Superintendent Peter Gardner, of the Met Police, said:
“We are still in a national pandemic and infection rates are steadily rising – restrictions around weddings have been put in place to save lives.
“Coronavirus remains a real and deadly threat and more officers will be deployed in every borough to help keep people safe.
“They will patrol public spaces and will respond swiftly to incidents where groups gather in large numbers.”
“It is very clear that the police cannot control the spread of the virus through enforcement alone, and we need Londoners to work with us.
“Therefore, please continue to act responsibly.
“Maintain social distancing, respect the new regulations and guidance, and help keep yourself, your friends and family safe.”
In another case, Sanam Sweet House and Restaurant in Longsight, Manchester, was closed down for seven days after police broke up a wedding that was attended by 70 guests.
The organiser was also fined £10,000 after repeatedly ignoring requests to stop the party.
Police described the wedding as a “totally unacceptable” and a “blatant disregard for public health”.
Superintendent Chris Hill, of GMP’s City of Manchester division, said:
“This blatant disregard for public health is totally unacceptable and meant we had no alternative but to issue the maximum penalty for breaching the legislation on large gatherings.
“I hope this sends a clear message to both individuals and licensed premises that there is zero-tolerance for the organisation of these kinds of events without permission from the local authority, and we will respond in the necessary way to reports of such incidents.
“This is a challenging time for all of us but we have to ensure we are working together to reduce the risk posed by the spread of Covid-19 and while we thank the majority for continuing to do so, we will carry on enforcing the legislation where necessary against the minority who aren’t.”
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