CUSTOMERS flouted Covid social distancing rules at a village pub three times in as many months.

One breach was witnessed by police called by staff at the Beehive Inn, Eamont Bridge, Penrith, to deal with a fight.

Two days later, on December 19, Eden Council licensing and enforcement officer Steve Wilde saw six people, all wearing “workmen” uniforms, sat drinking together.

And on October 29, Mr Wilde observed two men sat at the bar and another stood “very close together” - in breach of regulations.

Following these incidents, the Beehive Inn was served with a Covid improvement notice (CIN) by the council. This called on the pub to stop taking non-household bookings and improve social distancing by December 31.

An appeal was lodged and heard at Carlisle's magistrates’ court yesterday.

Beehive Inn director Christopher Callow insisted social distancing rules were followed. He claimed the taking of non-household bookings wasn't a breach of guidelines, and suggested CIN documentation he received was “defective”.

Mr Callow presented magistrates with a raft of documents and photographs highlighting significant steps taken to comply with ever-changing regulations.

Signs reminded customers to socially distance, wear face masks and follow a one-way system inside the premises.

Table numbers had been reduced and hand sanitising stations installed, customer temperatures were taken and menus were cleaned. Employees took their job “very seriously”, he stressed, adding: “We follow all the government guidelines. We've taken every reasonable step we can as a business.”

But Freddie Humphreys, for the council, said the narrow issue for magistrates was whether, in Mr Wilde's opinion, rules had been contravened.

Mr Wilde agreed the premises was "good” in terms of measures put in place but stated: "It is the breaches I've had to point which I wasn't happy with."

Mr Humphreys added of the pub: "It is not doing enough to actually enforce these when individuals are in there."

Rejecting the appeal and ordering Mr Callow to pay £1,750 costs, the lead magistrate concluded: "Mr Wilde was correct in his opinion that the Covid regulations were not being adhered to, and was justified in serving the notice.”