Crowthorne and Sandhurst

A Crowthorne Indian restaurant is to pay £5,000 in fines and costs after substituting spirits with cheaper brands and serving watered down vodka.

Khalid Miah, a director of Chillies Restaurant, in Dukes Ride, Crowthorne, appeared in Bracknell Magistrates’ Court on April 16 and pleaded not guilty to four offences under the Food Safety Act.

It follows a routine visit by trading standards officers on October 25, 2006, who carried out checks on the spirits. They found Bells scotch whisky had been substituted with the MacAndrews brand, Gordons Gin was actually Grosvenor Gin, and Smirnoff vodka was Chekov vodka.

They also found the vodka had been topped up with more than 22 per cent of water.

Chillies was found guilty and was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £3,000 costs.

Rob Sexton, Head of Trading Standards and Services, said: The substitution of branded spirits for cheaper spirits misleads customers and provides an economic advantage for the business concerned.

"We are hopeful that the fines imposed by the court will discourage other businesses from using such practices."

Cllr Iain McCracken, Executive Member for Crowthorne Public Protection, said: "It is unacceptable for restaurants to serve customers with cheaper brands and charge higher prices.

”The Council will continue to carry out routine tests at other restaurants in the borough to make sure customers are getting a fair deal.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council