Calling Time on Short Measures

29th July 2008, 4:01pm

During the month of August, Fife's Trading Standards Officers will launch a survey to check the level of accurate measures of spirits sold to customers in licensed premises around the area.

The project is part of a national one and authorities throughout Scotland will be participating.

Officers will make unannounced test purchases of spirits from Fife pubs to establish whether they are serving within the limits.

The sale of alcohol by legal measure is a traditional element of trading standards officers work. Under the Weights and Measures Act 1985, gin, rum, vodka and whisky can be sold in quantities of 25 or 35ml or multiples.

A notice must be readily available for inspection by a buyer stating the measures in use in the licensed premises.

A similar project was carried out in October 2007, when officers bought and tested a total of 72 spirit samples.

The results found only seven to be accurate while 39 (54% of the total) were found to be less than the 25ml or 35ml legal spirit measure sold in each premise. In addition, 26 (36%) of the measures tested were found to be over measure.

Premises will be selected at random for next month's project, but following on from last year's results, officers will be revisiting some of the premises that received a written warning.

Alan Hamilton, Metrology & Safety Team Leader said; "Both consumers and licensees will welcome this project. It is in everyone's interest that accurate measures are sold in Fife, particularly during the summer months when there are so many visitors to local pubs and restaurants.

Alan continued: "One of the aims of the project is to advise and educate licensees, however we will issue a written warning if measures are found to be inaccurate. Any measures that are seriously deficient, may result in a report being submitted to the Procurator Fiscal for their consideration of legal proceedings."

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