The owners of a Christian card and
bookshop in Worcestershire have been hit
£17,000 in fines for refusing to close
during lockdown.
Grace Cards and Books in Droitwich
received its fourth £10,000 fine from
Wychavon District Council last week.
Owners Alasdair and Lydia Walker-Cox
believe they should be allowed to trade
because their shop sells items offered by
other stores, like newspapers and
confectionary, that have been allowed to
remain open, Worcester News reports.
The district council maintains that the shop
is non-essential.
In video footage of a visit to the shop by
the police, Mrs Walker-Cox can be heard
saying: “A garden centre is open from 10
to 6, what is essential about that?”
When she is told that other shops have
closed, she responds: “That is easy for you
to say. When the rubber hits the road, if it
was you who didn’t have a job and can’t
provide for your family and can’t pay your
bills then it would be different.”
She told Worcester News that she and her
husband are prepared to go to court to stay
open.
“We are willing to fight it all the way,” she
said.
Wychavon District Council has said it is
considering court action or forced closure
to stop the shop from operating during the
lockdown.
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