A nightclub owner who blocked fire exits at his Bristol bar has been let off with a heavily reduced fine, despite his history of licensing violations.

Cam Mu, of Brean Down Avenue, Weston-super-Mare, admitted a series of licensing breaches relating to Mu-Mu's when he appeared at Bristol Magistrates' Court.

The venue in King Street, formerly owned by the Bar Med chain, shut earlier this year after running up debts of £1.2 million.

Mu pleaded guilty to three charges of allowing activities otherwise than in accordance with his licence on December 8 and 12, 2007 and January 11 this year, and failing to ensure a licence summary was prominently displayed on December 13.

Of a potential maximum fine of £80,000, he was only ordered to pay £2,515 after his solicitor argued the bar debts had left him unable to pay off anything larger.

The lawyer also claimed the offences were "unique" – but since 2004 Mu and his brother Kiem have been brought to court or licensing reviews several times to face charges relating to their premises in Weston.

North Somerset Council tightened the licences for Dragons Kiss bar in Regent Street in 2006 after fire exits were blocked, and Sands nightclub on the seafront in 2008 because children were being allowed alcohol.

The brothers were fined in 2004 for allowing too many people into Sands, and again in 2005 for food hygiene matters after a customer at the Sea Palace in St James Street found a cockroach in her king prawns.

Bristol City Council had originally charged three people and CK Enterprises, the company that ran the bar, with an identical set of charges.

The council withdrew the charges against co-director of CK Enterprises Kiem on the grounds that he was in prison at the time facing allegations of rape – charges of which he was later cleared. However, his trial ended in September 2007, two months before these offences.

Charges against Mu-Mu's' former manager Raymond Law were withdrawn because he has moved to Hong Kong, while CK Enterprises has gone into liquidation.

Magistrates ordered Mu to pay £800 for the offences, £500 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Chairman of the bench Neville Gibson said: "These were serious offences where you had not only delegated responsibility but abdicated it.

"But you lost a considerable amount of money and through your other companies there appears to be have been no other problems so the fine has been reduced."

The court heard police and council officers visited Mu-Mu's on December 8, 13 and January 11 and found a series of licensing violations.

Among them were door staff failing to have proper identification, failing to keep a log book of their activities and allowing smokers to leave the premises with glasses and bottles.

The last fire risk assessment had been carried out a year earlier and when council officers checked the fire exits on the last two occasions they found them blocked with concrete, cardboard, debris or gas cannisters.

A metal bracket had been placed on the first-floor fire doors which rendered them useless.

Kate Burnham, prosecuting, said: "The state was shambolic and would have severely impeded any attempt to exit. Public safety was compromised."

Christopher Carter, defending, said his client was stressed due to the court case against his brother.