Droitwich card shop owner who refused to close during lockdown now ordered to pay £44k by court - Birmingham Live

Grace Cards & Books in Droitwich remained open during lockdown despite being hit with fines totalling £17,000

The owner of a card shop in Worcestershire has been found guilty of breaching Covid regulations and fined £35,000 after refusing to close during lockdown.

Alasdair Walker-Cox, owner of Grace Cards & Books in St Andrews Square shopping centre in Droitwich, received four Covid fines totalling £17,000 during this year's lockdown.

At the time, current lockdown legislation prevented non-essential shops from opening as the Government looked to limit contacts between people and stem the rise in coronavirus infections which were rapidly increasing.

READ MORE: Droitwich card shop owner to stand trial after refusing to close during lockdown

In a video shared widely on social media in February, Mr Walker-Cox's wife Lydia was seen challenging an official from Wychavon District Council and a police officer over their decision to keep the shop open.

She was seen in the video arguing that they sold items offered by shops that were still allowed to trade in lockdowns, including newspapers and confectionery, and could therefore legally stay open.

During a trial at Kidderminster Magistrates Court today (Tuesday, August 17), Mr Walker-Cox's defence argued the shop was exempt from the regulations as it was acting as both a newsagents and food retailer, selling a small amount of food as well as Christian periodicals.

He told the court: "I don't see why we can't be considered a newsagent - it's Christian news."

Howard Leithead for the prosecution said to him: "You thought you could bend the rules by pretending to be a newsagent."

Mr Walker-Cox denied this, saying: "We weren't pretending - we sold Christian media and food."

The prosecution also alleged the decision to remain open was driven by financial reasons, referencing an email sent by Mr Walker-Cox to Worcestershire Regulatory Services in which he said the shop's closure would leave him struggling to pay the shop's rent.

Asked whether this was a motivating factor, Mr Walker-Cox admitted: "That certainly came into it, yeah."

He was also asked about how staff members at the shop were seen not wearing masks. In response he said: "I never told my staff to not wear masks."

The prosecution said this was reflective of his 'attitude' towards the Covid regulations, saying: "He [Mr Walker-Cox] had very little regard for the Covid rules.

"His attitude was apparent from his behaviour. He was putting lives at risk.

"He was motivated by the financial benefits because he was worried about his business. He was prepared to take a risk."

Despite the defence arguing Mr Walker-Cox's business could be classed as a food retailer or newsagent, Judge Ian Strongman agreed with the prosecution's case that he had breached Covid regulations.

"Selling a few newspapers does not make a bookshop a newsagent," he said. "Mr Walker-Cox's shop was not acting as a food retailer or a newsagent.

"Just because WHSmith remained open doesn't mean he could remain open too."

He went on to admit the regulations were 'arbitrary' but added many other shop owners had to follow them and did not choose to flout them.

Mr Walker-Cox was ultimately ordered to pay a £35,000 fine, just under £9,000 in costs and a £190 victim surcharge.

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