A bar has been revoked of its licence after repeatedly breaching Covid restrictions.

Abaco’s Bar-2 on Whippendell Road had its licence under review after numerous noise complaints and suspicions that the venue failed to follow Covid-19 regulations.

Hertfordshire Constabulary says it received many complaints between January 5 last year and January 2, 2021.

At the Watford Borough Council review hearing on February 11, the Licencing Committee heard there were several noise complaints in both early and late 2020, as well as reports that the business was operating well beyond the hours stated on its licence.

Police also attended three separate incidents - in October, November and December last year – after the bar breached Covid restrictions with staff not wearing PPE, failing to socially distance or serve food, and continuing to open during lockdown.

Fixed penalty notices were issued on all three occasions but the prosecution process began after the management team failed to settle the fines within the initial 28-day period.

In January 2021, the owner of Abaco’s denied responsibility for the noise complaints, telling the paper they were “getting the blame for no reason”.

The owner also said that they were trying their best to follow all Covid-19 restrictions that were enforced over the last year.

Sergeant Luke Mitchell, from Watford’s Community Safety Unit, led the application for revocation. He said: “We and our partners from the council’s environmental health team attempted to engage and work with the bar’s licence holder on many occasions but unfortunately this always proved unsuccessful.

“We do not take the licence review process lightly but it has been a hugely difficult year for Watford’s hospitality industry and it is simply not right that Abaco’s has continued to flagrantly disregard the restrictions, when other businesses have dutifully adhered to them. We tried every possible route to avoid this review but ultimately our hands were forced.”

“We hope this sends a strong message to the management team at Abaco’s – we will not tolerate repeated breaches of licensing or Covid-19 regulations which are there to keep the public safe, and prevent crime and disorder.”