Ex-footballer faces wait as licence may be revoked

An ex-footballer has been told a decision on whether his wine bar's alcohol licence will be revoked is delayed.

Former Wolverhampton Wanderers player Mo Camara's wine bar in Tettenhall has been banned from serving alcohol after a CCTV review of its operations, showed it had twice been serving alcohol after its licensed hours, last September.

City of Wolverhampton Council's licensing committee - which was due to make its decision on Tuesday - said it would now inform Camara of its decision within five days.

At the council licensing hearing, Camara said he now wanted to sell the Chill Wine Bar. It's the second time the bar's licence has been in jeopardy, after similar breaches in August 2024.

He told the hearing of his intention to sell saying he "could not do it any more".

"Just give me a chance to sell my business, because I feel like I can't do it any more," he told the committee.

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

Ahead of the hearing, the council's licensing officer had called for the committee to revoke the licence over the "blatant disregard" for the rules.

A review of the bar's CCTV footage had been triggered after neighbours made complaints, last September.

It also revealed that door staff had been serving drinks and loud music remained on past the designated midnight cut-off, the council said.

Tuesday's hearing was informed by environmental health officers that the music from the bar was so loud it would stop people sleeping and they could "sing along to the lyrics" from a neighbour's house because of the high volume.

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

Last December, the council rejected a plea by Camara, who had applied for a licence to emable him to extend the bar's opening hours.

Duncan Craig, representing Camara, told the hearing the council's case was "not sufficient grounds to take somebody's business away from them".

Craig said he was "not claiming perfection" on behalf of Camara, who did not dispute the lock-ins taking place in September, but said his client had since "pulled his socks up".

Craig said complaints had been received from only two homes – one of which was unsubstantiated – and that he would have expected to see more if the bar was the "scourge" it had been portrayed as.

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

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