Licensee fined record £9,000 for "tipping

A Leicestershire licensee has been hit with a record £9,000 fine for substituting spirit brands for cheaper alternatives.

Ghassan Fakih, licensee at the Bell Inn, in Market Harborough, was found guilty at Market Harborough Magistrates Court of three offences of "tipping". He was also ordered to pay £607 costs.

It is believed to be the biggest fine for "tipping" under the 1990 Food Safety Act.

A nearby licensee, who wished to remain anonymous, said Mr Fakih had given other pubs a bad name.

"Not only is the Bell Inn a local pub with local people, some have been using the pub for many years," he told The Publican. "This is disgusting behaviour."

During a routine visit to the pub in March, trading standards officers saw Bacardi, Gordon's Gin and Smirnoff being sold on optic at £1.70. When tested for authenticity, they were found not to be genuine. It was later discovered that the branded bottles had been refilled with White Diamond Rum, Grosvenor Gin and Stalingrad Vodka.

"These offences were a deliberate and significant fraud on the public at large," magistrate Pat Middleton told Mr Fakih. "You will be fined £3,000 on each charge and if it had not been for your early guilty pleas it would have been £4,500."

Philip Scatchard, a spokesman for the International Federation of Spirit Producers (IFSP), said: "The vast majority of landlords ensure their customers are served what they ask for and pay for, but there is still a small minority that think they can get away with this activity."

An IFSP survey in 1999 claimed one in 12 outlets were refilling branded bottles. Increased action against offenders has since seen the rate fall to one in 50, the IFSP said.