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Tequila Bar Owner Files Paperwork To Register As Church So He Can Open Legally In Tier 3

Tequila Bar Owner Files Paperwork To Register As Church So He Can Open Legally In Tier 3

He's asking people to join his congregation and become 'Bunny Believers'

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A man who owns a tequila bar has filed paperwork to register it as a place of worship in an attempt to get around upcoming coronavirus restrictions.

James Aspell, who owns the 400 Rabbits bar in Nottingham, has sent off paperwork to register as The Church of 400 Rabbits and is now on the hunt for a congregation.

If you're interested, you can sign up to become a Bunny Believer here - or if you donate a tenner to the Emmanuel House Support Centre Winter Appeal you can become 'ordained as a Reverend of the Righteous Rabbits'.

BPM Media

The church is a tongue-in-cheek attempt at getting around the upcoming coronavirus restrictions in the area, which is set to enter tier three - meaning bars must remain closed - on 2 December.

Places of worship are allowed to remain open in all tiers.

The site reads: "Join us as we begin our journey to answer absolutely none of life's big questions. Such questions as why are we here, what's the meaning of life, why didn't they just fly the eagles to Mordor and why did Dominos stop making the double decadence pizza base?!"

BPM Media

It goes on to say: "Our aim is simple, to offer a place of worship to our deity the mezcal bunny. A place where you can drink mezcal without having to order a carvery dinner alongside it, a place where you aren't kicked out into the cold heartless night at 10pm."

Aspell, 34, said: "The intention of this is to be a joke but it comes from a serious place.

"With the new restrictions we're forced to close and it could be months before we can reopen. We don't have a food offering so even if we were in tier two, we couldn't open.

"We feel like we've been targeted unfairly, to an extent and it seems wrong. Everything from gyms to massage parlours can stay open and even the Christmas markets are happening - that was the point when I thought, this is ridiculous.

"So we have sent in an application to register as a place of worship."

Instagram/400 Rabbits

Aspell says although it's all a bit of a joke, it does point out 'the hypocrisy' of the new measures.

He added: "This time of year it's usually all guns blazing but instead I'm sat at home putting my Christmas decorations up.

"We have no intention of opening unless the application is granted or when restrictions are lifted.

"If we were to open we'd follow government guidelines and I don't think we'd be selling alcohol.

"We might be able to adapt in a different way and have some fun with it.

"We're not doing this to offend anybody or break any rules."

Featured Image Credit: Instagram/400 Rabbits

Topics: UK News, Interesting, Weird