A PUB manager who served customers alcohol inside a pub while they waited to collect takeaway orders during the height of the Covid lockdown is £3,000 out of pocket.

Michael John Bishop was caught red-handed by Caerphilly trading standards when he served one of their officers a pint of Stella Artois lager while working at the Angel Inn, Maesycwmmer.

Trading standards had gone to the pub last year on Valentine’s Day after they had been tipped off he was selling drinks for customers to drink inside the premises.

The Angel Inn was providing a takeaway service for Sunday dinners, as was allowed during lockdown restrictions at the time.

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But it was against the law during the pandemic at that time to serve customers alcohol inside the pub due to strict Welsh coronavirus regulations.

Tim Keohane, a senior trading standards officer with Caerphilly Trading Standards, said: “Mr Bishop was the pub’s designated premises supervisor (DPS) which meant he had responsibility for supplying alcohol.

“We’d received information that he was contravening coronavirus regulations.

“On February 14, 2021, one of our officers went to the Angel Inn and was served a pint of Stella Artois.”

Bishop was subsequently removed as the DPS which meant he could no longer sell alcohol.

But he was caught again a month later when another officer visited the pub on March 14, 2021, and was sold two bottles of Newcastle Brown Ale.

Bishop, of Main Road, Maesycwmmer, pleaded guilty to carrying on the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises in breach of coronavirus regulations.

He also admitted a Licensing Act offence.

At Newport Magistrates’ Court, Bishop was ordered to pay £1,500 in costs, £1,400 in fines and a £140 victim surcharge.

His personal licence was suspended for six months.

The total amount of £3,040 has to be paid at a rate of £100 per month starting on February 15.