Taunton pub owner fined £1,000 after hosting lock-in

  • Avon and Somerset Police footage


This is the moment officers entered a pub in Taunton and found people drinking and dancing inside in defiance of the 10pm curfew.

The licensee of the pub in has been issued with a £1,000 fixed penalty notice for failing to close at 10pm, which is required due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Avon and Somerset Officers attended the Racehorse Inn in the East Reach area of the Somerset town at around 10.50pm on Saturday 24 October following a report it was breaching Covid-19 regulations.

On arrival, they found around 25 people inside the establishment with a member of staff in the process of serving a man drinks.

A group of around 15 people - none of whom were wearing face coverings - were also dancing together on the dance floor.

Police were called to the Racehorse Inn in Taunton after someone reported a breach of coronavirus restrictions. Credit: Google Maps

PC Gary Pethick from Avon and Somerset Police says: “The coronavirus legislation is in place to save lives and stop the spread of this dangerous virus.

“We can’t allow the selfish actions of a few to ruin everything the overwhelming majority continue to work hard to achieve.

“The licensee may well have been apologetic after being caught breaching the rules but by then it’s too late.”


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