Wiltshire Pub fined for misleading menu
A Wiltshire pub has been fined £3,600 after admitting misdescribing food on its menu as 'organic' and 'free range'.
The Beckford Arms in Fonthill Gifford, near Salisbury, pleaded guilty to four offences.
The pub, operated by Ding Dong Inns, has replaced the head chef and manager who were in charge when officers from Wiltshire Trading Standards visited the pub in September and October last year.
New manager Feargal Powell said the pub had apologised to customers and explained the circumstances, and is confident the business will continue to trade successfully.
Magistrates were told that that the menu had incorrectly described sausages, steak and mince as 'organic' and ham and eggs as 'local' and 'free range'.
Mr Powell said the new management team has worked hard to restore the standing of the rural pub, which relies on destination food trade as well as its reputation for cask beer.
"The previous manager and head chef were misleading customers and we've been upfront about admitting that and apologising," he said. "There have inevitably been a few quips across the bar, and there were a couple of empty tables last night after the case was reported on the TV, but we're very confident we can put it behind us."
Mr Powell was critical of the time taken to deal with case. "We were initially told that this would all be sorted out in six to eight weeks, and we are now six months on from the visit - which isn't always made clear when the case is reported.
"I do feel that Trading Standards has decided to make an example of us by bringing the prosecution."
Steve Clover, head of Wiltshire trading standrads, said there was no question of the Beckford Arms being singled out, but that the council believed it had been in the public interest to prosecute. "Where a business is making misleading claims, it's not just to the detriment of consumers, it's also to the detriment of other pubs and restaurants in the area which are legitimately sourcing organic and free range food."
Mr Clover added that he was happy to accept that the pub's new management has "put its house in order."