bar fighting metric ban The owner of a Polish restaurant today described laws which ban him from serving beer by the litre as "barmy" after he was threatened with court action. Nic Davison, who owns the Kuchnia Polska restaurant in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, with his Polish partner Dr Krystyna Ciurai, was served an infringement notice by trading standards officers for selling beer illegally because he serves the drink in litres rather than pints. The 1988 Weights and Measures Act states draught beer must be sold in pints. Mr Davison, from the Toll Bar area of Doncaster, was told by Doncaster Council standards officials he could face a court appearance and a £2,000 fine if he does not change his glasses within 28 days.

The owner of a Polish restaurant today described laws which ban him from serving beer by the litre as "barmy" after he was threatened with court action.

Nic Davison, who owns the Kuchnia Polska restaurant in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, with his Polish partner Dr Krystyna Ciurai, was served an infringement notice by trading standards officers for selling beer illegally because he serves the drink in litres rather than pints.

The 1988 Weights and Measures Act states draught beer must be sold in pints.

Mr Davison, from the Toll Bar area of Doncaster, was told by Doncaster Council standards officials he could face a court appearance and a £2,000 fine if he does not change his glasses within 28 days.

But the 26-year-old accountant said he was writing a letter to trading standards to tell them he will not be changing his glasses and that he intends to fight them all the way.

"They're barmy laws, the laws are just silly, they've got to sort it out," he said.

"We had the idea for the bar as my other half is Polish and I've visited Poland many times and speak the language.

"We've a great crowd who come in here - people from the town and people from Poland.

"They find this all rather amusing - they never realised it was illegal to drink beer in litres rather than pints."

Mr Davison opened the restaurant, on Sunny Bar, on Polish Independence Day, May 3.

He serves beer from a Polish brewer, which also supplies the glasses in small and large sizes of 0.3 and 0.5 litres, and said he had received no complaints from customers about the measures.

Mr Davison has enlisted the help of the Metric Martyrs Movement, which believes traders should be allowed to sell goods in whatever weight measurements they want to.

The group was launched after numerous attempts across the country to prosecute traders using imperial weights and measures rather than metric ones.

Neil Herron, of the Metric Matryrs Movement, said "Yet again we have officials who have failed to exercise any common sense.

"This is going to make the Government a laughing stock all over Europe.

"If ever a law needed to be changed this is it. No-one complained about Steve Thoburn selling bananas by the pound and no-one has complained about drinking beer by the litre.

"Let us hope that the penny finally drops for the Government that the metrication laws need to be changed."

Jane Miller, director for neighbourhoods at Doncaster Council, said: "In the UK, free flow beer must be sold in stamped pint or half pint glasses. This ensures consistency all over the country.

"We want to help the restaurant owner get this right and are providing help and advice so they sell their beer in accordance to the law."

Published by Jon Land for 24dash.com in Local Government
source:http://www.24dash.com/news/Local_Government/2008-08-07-Polish-restaurant-owner-to-take-on-council-over-barmy-weights-and-measures-law