Police raid illegal nightclub packed with 150 people and close ‘Covid Arms’ pub down

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Around 70 individuals have received fines after police caught them partying in an illegal nightclub in Birmingham over the weekend.

West Midlands police said they received information that there could be a bar on Buckingham Street, in the city’s Jewellery Quarter.

Having seen several taxis drop people off at the premises on Saturday night, police officers decided to enter the building to find that there were around 150 people packed inside.

The venue was spread across two floors and included a dance room, bar and neon signs, as well as a recording studio and gym.

Some officers were then pelted with bottles, with one suffering a minor injury when a door was smashed open as people tried to rush out.

Thermal imaging from police drones also spotted people trying to run away via the roof in the early hours of Sunday.

It is thought that about 50 people managed to escape from the police, while around 70 were caught and given fines of £200 each. The DJ may also face a fine of £10,000.

Assistant chief constable Chris Todd said: “Our officers continue to work long and hard to protect the public and reduce the spread of this deadly virus by breaking up these gatherings, often in really difficult circumstances.

“It’s unacceptable that our officers came under attack, and that one suffered a minor injury, just for doing their job and enforcing laws that are in place to keep us all safe.

Mr Todd highlighted that while the vaccine is bringing hope of a return to normal for many, “we are still in lockdown.” He went on to call the virus “a real threat to communities across the West Midlands.”

Elsewhere in the West Midlands on Saturday night, police discovered that a garage in Dudley Port had been turned into a makeshift bar nicknamed ‘The Covid Arms.’

Around a dozen people were allowed to leave but the owner has been fined £1,000 for breaching lockdown rules.