CIVIC chiefs said they are not prepared to tolerate breaches of Coronavirus rules.

City leaders have urged residents to continue to follow the rules as the country emerges from the pandemic.

It comes as Southampton restaurant Cattle Steakhouse in Hanover Buildings has been stripped of its licence after people were found "drinking" at the venue on January 24 while the country was in lockdown.

Hampshire Constabulary asked for the restaurant to have its licence suspended for three months.

But the Licensing Sub-Committee at Southampton City Council said revoking the licence was the "only proportionate response".

Restaurant supervisor Nazim Ahmed apologised for the incident and said he "got carried away".

He said managers had always worked with the police and licensing bosses.

Following the sub-committee's decision, a spokesperson for the city council said: "The vast majority of licensed premises adhere to the law and support the licensing objectives. To protect them the responsible authorities have a duty to bring to the attention of the licensing committee those that fail to meet the required standards. Breaching the Health Protection regulations risks a slower route out of the pandemic and places the public at greater risk. By revoking this licence the committee has demonstrated it is clearly not prepared to tolerate such lapses.”

Southampton Itchen MP Royston Smith said:"The rules are clear. By ignoring them people risk endangering the lives of others. We have been through the most awful time and too many lives have been lost. We must all do everything we can to bring the pandemic to an end. We are all responsible."

Sarah Bogle, councillor for Bargate ward, added: "This is a decision not taken lightly am sure, and I understand that most businesses have not been in breach of the regulations. I would urge compliance with the rules so we can emerge safely from this pandemic together."

As previously reported, official documents revealed that those found at Cattle Stakehouse on January 24,  were not socially distanced and none of them were wearing face masks.

It was also revealed that some of those at the site left through the back door as soon as police arrived.

The committee was told that staff were at the site as they were working on a new menu.

Mr Ahmed previously said that those at the site were regular customers who had walked in to order food to take away and he said the incident that took place "was not a planned event".