Restaurants fail to measure up
by Nigel Bartlett
Fears that many restaurateurs are unaware of changes to wine and spirit measures have been confirmed by reports from Trading Standards Officers (TSOs).
The changes, introduced on 1 January, involve converting imperial measures to metric, affecting table wines served by the glass as well as gin, whisky, rum and vodka.
According to Camden Council in north London, spot checks on 110 premises had shown as many as three-quarters of restaurateurs were unaware of the changes immediately before they were due to be implemented. Publicans, on the other hand, appeared to be better informed.
Research by Caterer last week unearthed similar reports from other London boroughs with a high concentration of restaurants.
Both Westminster and Kensington & Chelsea had found restaurateurs slow to convert to metric measures in comparison with pubs. A spokeswoman for Kensington & Chelsea said the lack of awareness appeared to be confined to the smaller restaurants in the borough, whereas the chains were more clued up.
"Our officers are taking a relaxed view because the change is recent," she said. "But if they don't put things right they could be prosecuted."
A similar approach is being taken in Newcastle upon Tyne, where TSOs are allowing seven days' grace for those found not to have converted to metric measures. "We visit every pub and restaurant at least once a year and have already found a number of restaurateurs claiming they were unaware of the changes," a spokeswoman said.
Chris Howell, a lead officer with the Institute of Trading Standards Administration (ITSA), said 7-14 days was a reasonable grace time, given that trade associations had been aware of the changes for at least a year.
But he was unsurprised that some TSOs were finding a slow response from restaurateurs, many of whom did not belong to a trade association.
A further problem had been that many publicans left it late to order new glasses, and restaurateurs were being affected by manufacturers' difficulties in meeting demand.
"Officers would take a lenient view if restaurateurs were unable to purchase the necessary equipment," said Mr Howell.
Some areas have been more active in publicising the changes. In Hereford & Worcester, for example, the council's trading standards department sent out leaflets in November to some 2,000 pubs and restaurants. That was backed up by a helpline operating until Christmas.
In Scotland, meanwhile, both Lothian and Strathclyde report no problems with compliance. Bruce Collier, Strathclyde's director of consumer and trading standards, believes this is partly due to intense publicity in the Scottish trade and general press.