Jumped-up fine of £1,000

The seemingly infinite gap between politics and the people couldn't have been more pronounced. At a time when Boris Johnson was drinking "at work" with his civil service colleagues "making the most of the lovely weather" in the back garden at No 10 Downing Street back in May 2020, others, who were truly working for a living, were scratching their heads.

 

Not least among them was a working publican in Wales, rapaciously fined £1,000 by the authorities when some of his customers lept to their feet to celebrate a goal against Manchester City on the pub’s TV.

Raymond Wellings, who runs the Minsthorpe Hotel near Pontefract, was fined £1,000 for breaking Coronavirus legislation in October 2020 because Leeds United fans in his pub reacted as fans usually do when their team scores a goal – they jumped up from their seats in celebration.

Unfortunately it happened just when council officials and the local constabulary were checking out the bar for compliance with Covid regulations.

For failing to keep his customers seated, Raymond was hit with the fine.

Only a few months earlier Boris Johnson had attended a “bring your own booze” garden party in the back garden of No 10 attended by up to 30.

Raymond, who understandably describes May’s Downing Street shenanigans as “absolutely disgraceful”, said, “It’s one rule for the rich and another rule for the poor.

“It’s just ridiculous. And then they’re having cheese and wine and saying it’s OK. It’s just a complete farce the whole lot of it.”

Some £300 was raised to offset Raymond’s fine by the bar’s customers and he could have taken a court case against the authorities but could not risk losing more money “… especially with being closed and no money coming in”.

It’s believed that the UK hospitality industry has lost £81 billion in sales between April 2020 and April 2021, somewhat more than it took even to redecorate Boris’s boudoir….