An unfortunate misunderstanding led to around 12 police officers surrounding a comedy club ready to shut it down – only to find it empty and deserted.
With the coronavirus lockdown cancelling all their upcoming events, the Hot Water Comedy Club, in Hardman Street, Liverpool city centre, decided to stream an old show on its Facebook page.
All public gatherings are banned as the Government struggles to slow the spread of coronavirus and prevent the NHS becoming overwhelmed.
A no doubt public spirited, if not over-zealous, Facebook user saw the stream and reported the club to Merseyside Police, fearing it was flagrantly breaching the new rules.
Hot Water owner Paul Blair posted CCTV of the incident on Facebook, which showed around nine officers ,followed by colleagues in a patrol car, approach the front door only to find the club empty.
After speaking to a nearby shopkeeper and establishing nothing untoward had gone on, the bemused officers turn and walk away with smiles on their faces.
Paul said: “Tonight we streamed a show we filmed back on 7th March.
“Someone thought it was live and grassed us up to the police, who sent 12 officers a van & a car to shut us down… (fair play to the police responding so fast).
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“We weren’t there but they spoke to the shopkeeper next door who called us and that’s definitely why they turned up, as they’d had reports of us live streaming.”
The lockdown measures announced by Boris Johnson on Monday mean that police can issue spot fines to anyone out of the house for non-essential reasons.
Businesses could also face hefty fines for flouting the rules.
