London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Oct 06, 2025

Tequila bar registers as church in bid to outwit Covid-19 lockdown rules

Tequila bar registers as church in bid to outwit Covid-19 lockdown rules

A cunning publican in Nottingham, UK, has launched a plucky, yet pious, pilgrimage to register his tequila bar as a church in a cheeky bid to circumvent confusing coronavirus restrictions.

Owner James Aspell, 34, is attempting to register the 400 Rabbits Tequila and Mezcal Cocktail Bar as the Church of the Four Hundred Rabbits, in the hopes of saving his licensed premises from the ongoing edicts of the establishment.

The would-be ‘Messiah of Mezcal’ needs a flock, however, and is urging patrons to pledge themselves as part of his congregation of the cocktail faithful. They can register as a “bunny believer” or “reverend of the righteous rabbits.”



Aspell claims that though his plan started as a joke, it comes from a serious desire to save his business while also pointing out the hypocrisy of the Tier 3 restrictions.

He feels bars and pubs across Britain have been disproportionately targeted, intentionally or otherwise, by the British government's oftentimes confusing and ever-changing guidelines, while other establishments ranging from “gyms to massage parlours can stay open.”

“Even Christmas markets are happening,” an indignant Aspell adds.

However, places of worship can stay open under Tier 3, hence this publican’s plan to hold “Congregation daily till late,” though Aspell himself admits that even if he gets certification as a church, current restrictions only allow him to serve takeout if he sold food.

Even if he receives approval of church status, he would unlikely be able to serve alcohol but he plans to “have some fun with it.”

“With the new restrictions we’re forced to close and it could be months before we can reopen.”

Judging by reaction on social media, Aspell may soon be overwhelmed by a thirsty congregation whether he sells booze or not.

“Genius! I believe I've suddenly seen the light. See ya next weekend for Saturday mass,” wrote one, ahem, believer.

“This is my kind of religion,” chimed in another.

“As someone who started what was definitely a religion and not an attempt to get tax free booze many years ago, I both support and adore this,” added another crafty craft beer believer.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Munich Airport Reopens After Second Drone Shutdown
France Names New Government Amid Political Crisis
Trump Stands Firm in Shutdown Showdown and Declares War on Drug Cartels — Turning Crisis into Opportunity
Surge of U.S. Billionaires Transforms London’s Peninsula Apartments into Ultra-Luxury Stronghold
Pro Europe and Anti-War Babiš Poised to Return to Power After Czech Parliamentary Vote
Jeff Bezos Calls AI Surge a ‘Good’ Bubble, Urges Focus on Lasting Innovation
Japan’s Ruling Party Chooses Sanae Takaichi, Clearing Path to First Female Prime Minister
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Sentenced to Fifty Months in Prison Following Prostitution Conviction
Taylor Swift’s ‘Showgirl’ Launch Extends Billion-Dollar Empire
Trump Administration Launches “TrumpRx” Plan to Enable Direct Drug Sales at Deep Discounts
Trump Announces Intention to Impose 100 Percent Tariff on Foreign-Made Films
Altman Says GPT-5 Already Outpaces Him, Warns AI Could Automate 40% of Work
Singapore and Hong Kong Vie to Dominate Asia’s Rising Gold Trade
Trump Organization Teams with Saudi Developer on $1 Billion Trump Plaza in Jeddah
Manhattan Sees Surge in Office-to-Housing Conversions, Highest Since 2008
Switzerland and U.S. Issue Joint Assurance Against Currency Manipulation
Electronic Arts to Be Taken Private in Historic $55 Billion Buyout
Thomas Jacob Sanford Named as Suspect in Deadly Michigan Church Shooting and Arson
Russian Research Vessel 'Yantar' Tracked Mapping Europe’s Subsea Cables, Raising Security Alarms
New York Man Arrested After On-Air Confession to 2017 Parents’ Murders
U.S. Defense Chief Orders Sudden Summit of Hundreds of Generals and Admirals
Global Cruise Industry Posts Dramatic Comeback with 34.6 Million Passengers in 2024
Trump Claims FBI Planted 274 Agents at Capitol Riot, Citing Unverified Reports
India: Internet Suspended in Bareilly Amid Communal Clashes Between Muslims and Hindus
Supreme Court Extends Freeze on Nearly $5 Billion in U.S. Foreign Aid at Trump’s Request
Archaeologists Recover Statues and Temples from 2,000-Year-Old Sunken City off Alexandria
China Deploys 2,000 Workers to Spain to Build Major EV Battery Factory, Raising European Dependence
Speed Takes Over: How Drive-Through Coffee Chains Are Rewriting U.S. Coffee Culture
U.S. Demands Brussels Scrutinize Digital Rules to Prevent Bias Against American Tech
Ringo Starr Champions Enduring Beatles Legacy While Debuting Las Vegas Art Show
Private Equity’s Fundraising Surge Triggers Concern of European Market Shake-Out
Colombian President Petro Vows to Mobilize Volunteers for Gaza and Joins List of Fighters
FBI Removes Agents Who Kneeled at 2020 Protest, Citing Breach of Professional Conduct
Trump Alleges ‘Triple Sabotage’ at United Nations After Escalator and Teleprompter Failures
Shock in France: 5 Years in Prison for Former President Nicolas Sarkozy
Tokyo’s Jimbōchō Named World’s Coolest Neighbourhood for 2025
European Officials Fear Trump May Shift Blame for Ukraine War onto EU
BNP Paribas Abandons Ban on 'Controversial Weapons' Financing Amid Europe’s Defence Push
Typhoon Ragasa Leaves Trail of Destruction Across East Asia Before Making Landfall in China
The Personality Rights Challenge in India’s AI Era
Big Banks Rebuild in Hong Kong as Deal Volume Surges
Italy Considers Freezing Retirement Age at 67 to Avert Scheduled Hike
Italian City to Impose Tax on Visiting Dogs Starting in 2026
Arnault Denounces Proposed Wealth Tax as Threat to French Economy
Study Finds No Safe Level of Alcohol for Dementia Risk
Denmark Investigates Drone Incursion, Does Not Rule Out Russian Involvement
Lilly CEO Warns UK Is ‘Worst Country in Europe’ for Drug Prices, Pulls Back Investment
Nigel Farage Emerges as Central Force in British Politics with Reform UK Surge
Disney Reinstates ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ after Six-Day Suspension over Charlie Kirk Comments
U.S. Prosecutors Move to Break Up Google’s Advertising Monopoly
×