Summer is in full swing in Hérault, the beaches are packed, the evenings are lively, but for some establishments, the curtains have come down – and not just symbolically. This Wednesday, July 16, Prefect François-Xavier Lauch, accompanied by his colleague from Béziers, Jacques Lucbéreilh, announced the end of the fun for eight businesses in Montpellier, Agde, Valras-Plage, and Villeneuve-les-Béziers. The focus: illegal practices aplenty and a zero-tolerance policy on the part of the authorities according to information from Métropolitain.
In Montpellier, the top spot goes to VIIP Club, a well-known nightclub on Palavas Avenue, forced to shut down for three months. The reason: a little Aladdin's cave of proto-style, with canisters of nitrous oxide galore. Less festive, but just as illegal...
al, the WM Shop grocery store will have to shut its doors for two weeks for pushing the limits with alcohol on display and for sale after 10 PM, e-cigarettes on the shelves, and encouraging smoking in public spaces. And what about the And Cie grocery store on the route to Mende, which is facing 45 days for possessing fraudulent tobacco intended for resale. Yes, all this for a few not-so-holy smokes.Closures galore in Hérault
Further south, the Grand Café in Villeneuve-les-Béziers will have to pause its service for a month for keeping questionable alcohol and tobacco in stock. Same vibe in Valras-Plage, where the Alim grocery store got caught for hidden work – a 15-day closure to remind everyone that the rules of the game don’t change by the seaside.
In Agde, even with your feet in the sand, the law bites. The Sun 7 Beach will have to shut down for seven days for troublesome practices.Public order violations have led to sanctions for the Ô Loundge Naturiste, located in the libertine neighborhood of Cap, which received the same penalty for not adhering to opening hours. Finally, the Midnight Express grocery store lives up to its name in a not-so-great way: three months of closure for selling alcohol and nitrous oxide outside of regulations.
This wave of sanctions serves as a reminder: summer or not, Hérault is not going to overlook infractions against the regulations. And for those who thought the prefect would turn a blind eye during the tourist season, it looks like the script needs to be rewritten.
Source: Métropolitain
