The CCTV cameras at the restaurant where Rita Ora celebrated her 30th birthday party during lockdown last year were switched off, police have said.
Back in November, Rita made headlines when it was revealed she and a group of her friends had gathered for what she later described as a “spur of the moment” dinner at Casa Cruz in Notting Hill, to celebrate her milestone birthday.
Scotland Yard confirmed shortly afterwards that officers had been called to an address in Notting Hill amid a breach of Covid regulations, with Downing Street also issuing a warning to celebrities flouting coronavirus rules.
Apologising on Instagram shortly afterwards, Rita said the event had been an “inexcusable error of judgment”, later issuing a second apology when it was revealed she should have been in quarantine at the time, as she’d recently returned from a work trip to Egypt.
Police are trying to get the venue’s licence revoked ahead of a hearing on Thursday, with details of the event – including the fact CCTV had been switched off – emerging in a licence review report.
At the beginning of December, staff member Scottie Bhattarai, said in a witness statement that representatives for the chart-topping singer had called him on his personal mobile phone at about 5.30pm on the day of the party, and told him they wanted to use the venue for “drinks and nibbles”.
Bhattarai said he’d been offered £5000 by Rita’s representatives, so went to the restaurant to “facilitate the event”. He also apologised for being “greedy” in his statement.
He told police that “security for the entourage” wanted no footage of them arriving so he turned the CCTV off between 6pm and 6.30pm, with the first guests getting at the venue at around 7pm.
Bhattarai later said the camera system had been faulty and scheduled for repair. No payment had been taken in relation to the event at the time of his statement.
PC James Larner said as part of the report that he and a colleague answered a call about a potential breach of Covid guidelines, and arrived at the venue at 11.30pm, where music was playing and windows had been blacked out.
He also claimed that they’d been able to see various guests socialising inside the restaurant through small gaps.
When he knocked on the door of the venue, Larner claimed the music had stopped, and those inside had disappeared from view, meaning “it was likely that Covid regulations were being knowingly breached as the occupants did not wish to engage with officers”.
In an apology posted on Instagram, the Masked Singer judge said: “I feel particularly embarrassed knowing first-hand how hard people have worked to combat this terrible illness and being fully aware of the sacrifices that people and businesses have made to help keep us all safe.
“Even though this won’t make it right, I want to sincerely apologise.”
After details of her subsequent breach of the Covid guidelines emerged, Rita said in a second statement: “While I realise the apologetic words of a pop star might not carry much weight, especially one who has broken the rules like I have, I do realise that some might seek to follow my example.
“My message to them is simple: please don’t. The guilt and shame I’ve carried this week for my mistake aren’t worth it. Instead, continue to listen to the government advice and the voices of the heroes of the NHS and take the required precautions.”