Nakira nightclub and ‘Petite Afrique’ restaurant have licences revoked for operating after 10pm

Birmingham City Council has revoked the licences of two popular city venues for breaching COVID-19 rules.

Following a full review of two premises, a nightclub and a restaurant in Birmingham have had their licences revoked following a number of COVID-19 legislation breaches.

Nakira, a nightclub situated in Suffolk Street Queensway in the city centre, was subject to a full review at a Licensing Sub Committee hearing last Friday (23 October).

Police demanded an expedited review of the venue’s operating licence following a number of breaches, including officers recently discovering it was operating past the 10pm government imposed curfew, with customers still inside the premises at 12.40am on Saturday 26 September.

At a hearing earlier this month (1 October), the council’s licensing committee responded by revoking Nakira’s license and removing Anton Gasparov as the ‘Designated Premises Supervisor’.

Meanwhile, La Reference (Petite Afrique) in Hockley Hill was similarly subject to a full review at a Licensing Sub Committee hearing on on Monday (26 October) after police cited a number of coronavirus regulation breaches including ignoring the 10pm curfew and accommodating customers at the establishment beyond 10.25pm on Saturday 26 September.

Rodrigue Kuoamo Tankeu was removed as the Designated Premises Supervisor at the restaurant and its operating license revoked.

Cllr Philip Davis, chair of Licensing Sub Committee A, said, “All businesses have a responsibility – not only to their staff and customers – but to the wider community and there must be consequences when COVID-19 guidance is simply ignored.

“This is potentially a matter of life or death and Birmingham City Council will continue to work with West Midlands Police to enforce the guidelines.

“It is clear that the management at both venues failed to follow Government guidance and were operating with no regard for social distancing or public health.

“The way in which these premises were being run was endangering the public by risking the spread of COVID-19: It is this kind of behaviour that has contributed to restrictions being placed on Birmingham to try and control the sharp rise in cases in the city.”