Venue fined £10,000 over 120-guest wedding party

A venue has been fined £10,000 after it was found to be hosting 120 people at a “post-wedding party”, in breach of Covid-19 legislation.

Police were called at around 4.45pm on Friday to reports of a party taking place at Stafford Park in Telford.

When officers attended they found around 120 people at the property.

Under government guidelines, weddings are allowed to have a maximum of 30 guests, reduced to 15 from today.

West Mercia Police said it would not be naming the venue, as is its standard when issuing fines.

Chief Superintendent Paul Moxley said: “The majority of our communities are adhering to the new COVID legislation and laws and are acting very responsibly. It is therefore unacceptable that a minority of people are continuing to disregard the rules and as a consequence a £10,000 fine was given to the organisation hosting the wedding party.

“It is believed that around 120 people were attending the event in Stafford Park, all of whom left the venue when we attended and spoke to them. Therefore no fixed penalty notices were given to the guests.”

He added: ““We are taking a robust enforcement approach towards those who choose to intentionally break the law and in order to help suppress the virus and protect everyone, where people are clearly breaching the regulations they will be given a fine.”