Ex-footballer's bar licence revoked over lock-ins

10 hours ago

Christian BarnettLocal Democracy Reporting Service, Wolverhampton

News image — The bar run by Mo Camara, who played for teams such as Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley, Celtic, and Norwich City, opened in 2017

AFP via Getty Images Camara is wearing a Celtic kit and has an arm bandage on and is captured playing during a match — The bar run by Mo Camara, who played for teams such as Wolverhampton Wanderers, Burnley, Celtic, and Norwich City, opened in 2017

A former Wolverhampton Wanderers footballer has had his licence to run a wine bar revoked after several late-night lock-ins.

A review of CCTV footage from Chill Wine Bar, owned by Mo Camara, followed complaints from neighbours and found the venue open and serving after its licensed hours on two nights in September last year.

This came 18 months after the bar's licence was suspended for serving illegally after hours.

A licence hearing was held on 6 January with councillors telling Camara he would be informed of their decision within the coming days. It has since been confirmed the committee decided to revoke the licence.

Camara said at the hearing that he was looking to sell the premises in Tettenhall as he "can't do it nay more".

"I can't make you guys happy, I can't make anyone happy with this business," he said.

Google The bar is painted olive green and has large square windows either side of the entrance which has two seats and a table outside as well as some greenery. There are two levels to it. — Camara said earlier this month that he was considering selling the bar

The wine bar had its licence suspended in 2024 after it was caught serving drinks after hours on a number of occasions despite previous warnings from the council.

In December, the council rejected a plea by Mr Camara to open later.

The council's licensing and environmental health departments and West Midlands Police had objected over concerns that doing so would add to ongoing problems with late-night noise.

Later that week, a large group of people had become "uncontrollable" after they were asked to leave, which resulted in one of the bar's windows being smashed.

Camara said he was "subjected to violence and aggression outside the premises" which resulted in police attending.

Of the incident, Mr Camara told the hearing he felt he "could not win" after trying to follow the rules had resulted in a broken window.

CCTV footage from September showed the wine bar still open at 01:20 GMT, well past the agreed 00:30 closing time.

Camara told councillors he had experienced a "tough time" after the Covid-19 pandemic and pleaded to extend the opening hours to "keep a hold of his business".

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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