Coyote Ugly ordered to pay £70,000 after two barmaids fall off wet bar
Welsh Coyote Ugly nightclub is ordered to pay £70,000 after two barmaids fell off a wet bar top while dancing on it
- The popular club chain was hit by health and safety laws after the bar-top falls
- Brittany Askew, 23, Karina Sparks, 25, seriously injured after slipping in Cardiff
- Miss Askew fractured her spine, Miss Sparks was cuts after landing on a glass
- Coyote Ugly Saloon in Cardiff investigated over health and safety after accidents
- District Judge Khan fined the company £66,000 and ordered them to pay £3,315
A Coyote Ugly nightclub was ordered to pay £70,000 after two barmaids fell over while dancing on a bar.
The chain, famed for staff dancing on the bar like in the 2000 movie, were hit by health and safety laws after the incidents.
Brittany Askew, 23, and Karina Sparks, 25, were seriously injured when they slipped on the wet bar during their shifts.
Brittany Askew, 23, and Karina Sparks (pictured), 25, were seriously injured when they slipped on the wet bar during their shifts in Cardiff
A court heard the women were employed as ‘Coyotes’ whose jobs were to serve drinks and dance on the bar in skimpy outfits and cowboy boots. Pictured: Miss Askew
The brand has bars based across the world from Las Vegas to Tokyo including venues in Cardiff, Swansea (pictured), Birmingham and Manchester
And a court heard the women were employed as ‘Coyotes’ whose jobs were to serve drinks and dance on the bar in skimpy outfits and cowboy boots.
But Miss Askew fractured her spine and Miss Sparks needed treatment to cuts across her body after landing on a wine glass when they fell in separate accidents.
Prosecutor Clive Pursey said Miss Askew was forced to wear a spinal brace for 12 weeks and was off work for four months after her tumble.
She told investigators staff were allowed to drink alcohol while working and would take turns dancing on the bar.
Mr Pursey said staff would spray each other with water while dancing ‘having little regard to the risk of slips and falls’.
Miss Askew fractured her spine and Miss Sparks (pictured) needed treatment to cuts across her body after landing on a wine glass when they fell in separate accidents
The Coyote Ugly Saloon in Cardiff was investigated over its health and safety record after the accidents which happened in 2017 were discovered.
Cardiff Magistrates Court heard a health and safety officer carried out a surprise inspection and found the risk assessment over the dancers was not ‘suitable and sufficient’.
Bar manager Christopher Young told investigators women workers were supposed to wear rubber soled cowboy boots but the rule wasn’t officially documented.
The court heard there was an ‘informal rule’ of no more than 12 people on the bar at once and that customers were not allowed on the bar if they were drunk or wearing stiletto heels.
The Coyote Ugly Saloon in Cardiff was investigated over its health and safety record after the accidents which happened in 2017 were discovered. Pictured: Miss Sparks
The company, Swansea Audio Limited, admitted three charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and failing to make proper risk assessment.
Oliver Powell, defending, said the company had now brought in health and safety consultants.
He said: ‘There should have been a specific risk assessment that was much more robust.’
District Judge Shomon Khan said the bar’s ‘unique selling point’ was that revellers and workers could dance on the bar.
He said: ‘I do not wish to sound like the fun police but health and safety has to be at the forefront of the mind of any business.
‘There was a culture of fun and health and safety got put to one side. To put it simply, the customer experience was placed far above the need for safety of staff.
‘Overall I accept that lessons have been learnt by the company.’
District Judge Khan fined the company £66,000 and ordered them to pay £3,315 within three month.
Coyote Ugly – which describes itself ‘the most famous bar on the planet’ – is famed for its bar-top dancing women known as ‘Coyotes’.
The brand has bars based across the world from Las Vegas to Tokyo including venues in Cardiff, Swansea, Birmingham and Manchester.
Coyote Ugly – which describes itself ‘the most famous bar on the planet’ – is famed for its bar-top dancing women known as ‘Coyotes’ (pictured, the Swansea club)
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