Takeaway that served customer four minutes after 10pm curfew fined £1,000

A takeaway in east London was among those fined this weekend after staff handed a customer an order four minutes after the blanket 10pm curfew on hospitality businesses kicked in.

Bim’s burger restaurant in Ilford was visited by a Covid-19 patrol team on Thursday evening. The enforcement team found one person in the venue past the 10pm deadline.

In a tweet, which has since been deleted, Redbridge Police said the time on the man’s receipt was 10pm, but he was not handed his food until 10.04pm.

The venue was handed a fine of £1,000.

The owner of Bim’s Burger has since told Sky News: “Staff were under the impression that if an order was placed by 10pm it could still be served."

The proprietor said that with new rules being made “thick and fast” it is not “clear exactly how they should be interpreted”.

The enforcement team in the London borough also fined Eyva Turkish Grill and Meze in Ilford £1,000 after customers were found inside the premises at 10.45pm.