The future of a Wolverhampton wine bar owned by a former Premier League footballer is now in serious doubt after local authorities revoked its operating licence.
Licence Revoked After Repeated Offences
City of Wolverhampton Council has officially revoked the licence for Chill Wine Bar on Tettenhall High Street. The bar is owned by former Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Mo Camara. This decisive action follows the venue being caught hosting late-night lock-ins in September 2025, nearly 18 months after its licence was initially suspended for the same illegal activity.
A licensing committee hearing on January 6, 2026, considered the evidence, with councillors informing Mr. Camara their decision would follow in days. It has now been confirmed the committee chose to revoke the licence entirely.
A History of Noise and Rule-Breaking
A review of the bar's CCTV footage, prompted by neighbour complaints, showed the premises open and serving alcohol after licensed hours on two separate nights last September. Door staff were witnessed serving drinks, and loud music continued past the designated midnight cut-off.
Environmental health officers reported the music was so loud it prevented sleep, with residents able to "sing along to the lyrics" from their own homes. The council stated the issues that led to the initial suspension in 2024 had been repeated, and extending hours would "only exacerbate them further."
One Tettenhall resident objected, citing a "history of disregard for local residents from people visiting the bar." The bar, which opened in 2017, had its licence suspended for a month in July 2024 after three previous lock-ins.
Owner's Pleas and Business Struggles
During the hearings, Mo Camara revealed he was trying to sell the business and pleaded for leniency. "Just give me a chance to sell my business because I feel like I can’t do it any more," he told councillors. "I can’t make you guys happy, I can’t make anyone happy with this business."
He described facing a "tough time" post-pandemic and struggling financially, countering assumptions about ex-footballers' wealth. "I have to pay my staff, council tax is going up, business rates are going up and I’m struggling to keep a hold of my business," he explained.
Mr. Camara also detailed a violent incident in December where a window was smashed after a large group became "uncontrollable" when asked to leave. He felt he "could not win," as trying to enforce rules led to property damage. The council had rejected his plea for later opening hours just days before that incident, following objections from police and environmental health over noise concerns.
Despite previous warnings and his removal as the bar's designated supervisor in 2024, Mr. Camara had remained the premises licence holder until this final revocation.
