another fine

Another red card for Amber Foods

A trader who obstructed the highway with fruit and vegetables has been fined a total of £962 and ordered to pay £750 costs.

Brighton magistrates today heard that Imaad Khan, director of Amber Foods at 17 Western Road, Hove, repeatedly put crates and boxes of produce out on the public area of pavement, making it difficult for pedestrians with buggies and disabled people to negotiate round them.

Len Batten, prosecuting on behalf of Brighton & Hove City Council, said matters reached a head in October of this year when, despite many previous warnings, the shop’s display went far beyond what might be considered reasonable.

Khan did not appear in court but was convicted in his absence on three charges of obstructing the highway.

Councillor Geoffrey Theobald, cabinet member for environment, said: “There is a private space in front of the shop specifically designed for displaying goods so there was no need for it to come out onto the rest of the pavement and hamper pedestrians.

“The council tried to persuade the owner to scale back his display and issued warnings, but in the end we had no choice but to take legal action.”

Earlier this year the same business was fined £1,000 for dumping trade waste in a communal bin.

http://www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/index.cfm?request=c1218134