JDW fined £5,000 for short pints

Pub company JD Wetherspoon is to remind all its managers of the need to top-up pints after being fined a total of £5,000 for serving up short pints at a north east pub. The company, which had denied the charges, was found guilty of breaching weights and measures regulations before Gateshead magistrate's court. The court heard that following a complaint from a customer, Gateshead Trading Standard Officers made two test purchases of Mordue's Workie Ticket at the Wetherspoon in the Metrocentre. Tests carried out showed that one pint was 7.5% short and the second was 12% short. Gateshead trading standards officer Richard Ferry said after the case: "We have been pressing for companies to use lined glasses in pubs. Then customers know exactly what they have got. "Some pubs do use them, but Wetherspoon prefers to use brim glasses which should be filled to the top." A JD Wetherspoon spokesman said: "We obviously serve millions of pints of real ale each year and we encourage customers to ask for their pints to be topped up. "As a result of this incident, we will be talking to our managers and staff across the estate to ensure they're serving a full pint." The firm was fined £1,500 for each of the two offences of serving short measures and was ordered to pay £2,000 costs. Ironically, JD Wetherspoon championed the introduction of the oversized glass, but was forced to withdraw it five years ago after complaints that they were not serving a full pint.