Manager of The Mechanics Arms, South Shields, fined after watered down Bacardi bottles found

The Mechanic's Arms in South Shields
Louise Carr, whose company Loubaz Ltd runs The Mechanics Arms, in South Shields, was fined after watered down alcohol was found on the premises. Credit: Google

A woman has been fined £700 after watered down alcohol was found on the premises she operated.

Louise Carr, owner of Loubaz Ltd, which runs The Mechanics Arms in South Shields, pleaded guilty to four counts of alcohol adulteration.

The pub in East Street was subject to a routine food inspection prompted by an anonymous complaint of watering down of spirits.

South Tyneside Council carried out an inspection following the complaint.

Dip test samples were carried out on branded spirit bottles and four were seized and sent for analysis.

The council said they were all found to contain significantly reduced alcohol volume concentrations than that specified by the manufacturer.

Carr was fined £733 and ordered to pay £500 costs and a £73 victim surcharge at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

She was also barred from holding the position of company director for five years and was disqualified as a licensee for six months.

A spokesperson for South Tyneside Council, said: “The bottles, which were branded Bacardi, had a reduced alcohol content, suggesting it had been diluted and that a number of the other spirits had been substituted with inferior branded products.

“This is not only misleading and a breach of trust, it is also a potential safety issue for customers, who rely on product signage to inform them of ingredients and potential allergens.”

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