£2k fine for selling watered down spirits

By John Harrington

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Middlesbrough

Spirits: pub company fined
Spirits: pub company fined
Pub operator Ladhar Leisure has been fined £2,000 for selling watered down spirits at a Cleveland bar. The firm was also ordered to pay £2,093.85 costs.

Pub operator Ladhar Leisure has been fined £2,000 for selling watered down spirits at a Cleveland bar.

The firm was also ordered to pay £2,093.85 costs plus a £15 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to two offences under the Food Safety Act at Teeside Magistrates.

A routine inspection by trading standards found rum being sold at the Billingham Arms Hotel in Billingham that had 20% added water.

Despite the company being notified, a follow up inspection in January this year found whisky being sold with 14% added water.

In mitigation, magistrates heard the company has invested in a CCTV system and provided staff training since the offences were committed.

An independent company has also been contracted to carry out random checking.

Councilor Steve Nelson at Stockton Council said: "This just goes to show how effective unannounced visits to local licensed premises can be.

"By carrying out quality checks on the spirits on offer we are able to identify problems which consumers would be unable to spot themselves.

"The sentence imposed in this case reflects the fact that the company had been warned previously about irregularities.

"Businesses should have systems in place to ensure the drinks they sell are accurately described and not tampered with.

"This could involve simple steps such as only buying from reputable sources, stock control, secure storage, internal screening tests with a hydrometer and staff training."

Related topics Spirits & Cocktails

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