A man who tried to turn a matchday pavement outside Old Trafford into his own pop-up pub has been fined after court action from Trafford Council.
Jermane Harding, 37, of Servia Drive, Woodhouse, Leeds, set up a makeshift bar complete with a sound system on Trafford Wharf Road before Manchester United’s home game against West Ham United on Sunday 11 May last year.
Though he had no licence to sell alcohol, Mr Harding’s drinks menu included Red Stripe, Jack Daniels, Courvoisier, Ciroc, Guinness and home-made rum punch, all chilled in buckets of ice.
When challenged by Trafford Council’s Licensing Enforcement Team he claimed he did not realise he required a licence.
It was later established that Mr Harding had been warned by Manchester City Council officials after being caught selling alcohol without a licence outside the Parklife festival in Heaton Park in 2024.
It was also revealed in court that he had been selling his rum punch online – also without the required licence.
Harding pleaded guilty to charges including illegal street trading and carrying out unlicensed licensable activities at Manchester Magistrates Court on Wednesday 7 January.
He was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay a £300 victim surcharge and £300 towards costs, making a total of £2,600.
Cllr Rose Thompson, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Communities and Safety, said:
“Our highly experienced Licensing Enforcement Team works hard to spot and challenge those who think trading rules do not apply to them, and take action to prevent such activity.
“Licensing regulations exist to uphold proper standards for trading and to protect the public from unreputable operators.”