WATERLOO -- A Waterloo sandwich shop has been fined for not following COVID-19 regulations earlier this month.

Region of Waterloo Public Health officials said Meltwich has been fined $750. The fine was issued because the shop wasn't following the rules laid out in Ontario's reopening plan on Sept. 13 around 1:30 a.m. The ticket was issued on Sept. 25.

Public health officials said people inside the restaurant weren't staying in their seats. COVID-19 regulations require all patrons to remain seated while eating or drinking. They can only get up to use the washroom or pay.

Health officials also said physical distancing wasn't maintained properly.

Meltwich's owner said he takes full responsibility for the infractions, adding that staff should have been enforcing the rules even though there are signs and floor markers.

"It was a late night inspection where there was a little bit more volume in here," director of operations Tyson May said. "Despite us having floor markers in place, we didn't have anyone monitoring the front door, kind of handing out the sanitizer and keeping flow of guests and volume maintenance. So, that kind of played to our detriment in terms of compliance. Our music was a little louder, which forced people to lean in to have conversation, which, as you can imagine, is also a failure to comply."

May said there have been changes made at the business and they're hiring more staff to help maintain and enforce physical distancing.