BHA blasts at Scots plan for origin marking

Scottish Executive proposals to force restaurants and hotels to display the origin of beef on their menus were slammed by the British Hospitality Association (BHA).
The plans would cause major problems for pub and restaurant groups that trade throughout the UK, said the BHA. Those failing to indicate on their menus the provenance of the beef they serve would be liable to prosecution and a possible fine.
Martin Couchman, the BHA's deputy chief executive, said that the association would prefer a voluntary code rather than legislation. "It's unnecessary bureaucracy that will create a lot of work for the service industry," he said. "If [the Executive] thinks it is going to increase the use of domestic beef, it is wrong."
A spokeswoman for Mitchells & Butlers, which has 100 pubs in Scotland, agreed that the proposals would cause problems. "We would not be able to guarantee one source or a localised origin, which means extra costs of reprinting our menus," she said. "We would prefer it if they proposed EU origin rather than individual countries."
But while restaurant and pub groups criticised the move, some Edinburgh chefs were in favour. Scott McCray, sous chef for Hadrians restaurant at the Balmoral hotel in Edinburgh, said: "Most of the main restaurants and hotels in Edinburgh use only Scottish beef, including ourselves, so it won't be a problem. It's those who import that should be worried."
Geoff Balharrie, executive chef at the Scotsman in Edinburgh, agreed. "We are happy to display the beef's origin. It shouldn't be a problem for chain restaurants either, if they're using quality products," he said.

CAPTION: The BHA feels the Scottish Executive's plan will not increase use of domestic beef