The manager of a car wash near Basingstoke station breached Covid restrictions after refusing to close the business during the second lockdown, a court has heard.

Station Car Wash remained open at the start of the second lockdown in November 2020, despite government regulations saying car washes should close.

The manager, Oltion Hasani, was fined more than £2,000 for breaching the coronavirus regulations at a court hearing last month.

The court was told that he "independently made the decision to open the car wash, albeit knowing car washes had been removed from the exception list".

The second lockdown was announced on October 31, 2020 amid a rise in Covid cases across the country, and came into force on November 5.

Hampshire Police received a report from a member of the public that day that Station Car Wash had remained open, in breach of the regulations.

Two Police Community Support Officers, Bethany Ireland and Andrew Jones, were sent to the business just before 2.30pm.

PCSO Ireland said in a written statement to Aldershot Magistrates' Court: "I could see a car being cleaned and a worker working inside this vehicle clearly conducting cleaning activates by his movements and cleaning items to hand.

"My colleague spoke with the worker and told him to stop working and asked for the manager.

"The worker then phoned the manager who shortly then arrived.

"The manager who I now know to be Mr Oltion Hasani arrived and I witnessed [PCSO Jones] speak with him about the current guidelines. I also assisted with this.

"It is clear Mr Hasani independently made the decision to open the car wash albeit knowing car washes had been removed from the exception list."

At a hearing held under the single justice procedure at Aldershot Magistrates' Court on April 27, the case against Mr Hasani was proved, and he was convicted of failing to close a business not permitted to remain open in England under the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 4) Regulations 2020.

Hasani, who lives at North Hyde Road in Hayes, London, was given a fine of £1,760.

The 30-year-old must also pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £176.

Station Car Wash is based on the Old Stables Station Approach, near the multi-storey car park at the back of Basingstoke station.

What was the rules on car washes?

During the second and third Covid lockdowns, there was mixed regulations for car washes.

Automatic car washes that were attached to a petrol station were allowed to stay open, although all manual car washes were forced to close.

These restrictions have now been removed after lockdown measures were eased.