Big trouble for bars that don’t offer a small wine

LEADING High Street restaurant and bar chains are breaking the law and compromising the nation’s health by failing to offer small glasses of wine, an investigation has found.

The probe, which comes amid mounting concern over alcohol consumption levels in the UK, found that the Spaghetti House and Slug and Lettuce chains did not have 125ml glasses on their menus – six years after the Government ruled such glasses were compulsory.

Undercover reporters who requested a ‘small’ glass of wine were given a 175ml glass.

Five restaurant chains were tested in the investigation by presenters Simon Rimmer and Sophie Morgan for Channel 4’s Tricks Of The Restaurant Trade. Only Zizzi and Giraffe offered 125ml measures without question.

In Ask Italian, 125ml glasses were on the menu, but if customers asked for a small glass they were given a 175ml measure unless they asked specifically for a 125ml one.

Morgan said: ‘As wine’s popularity has grown, so has the standard measure from 125ml to 175ml.’ Professor Isabelle Szmigin, Deputy Dean of Birmingham Business School, said businesses were ‘acting irresponsibly’.

Excess alcohol has been linked to a host of health problems, including cancer and liver disease. The NHS’s Chief Medical Officer recommends consuming no more than 14 units a week – the equivalent of nine 125ml glasses of wine. Slug and Lettuce apologised ‘for any confusion’ and told the programme it would provide ‘refresher training’ at the site where filming took place.

Spaghetti House said: ‘We train our staff that wine served by the glass, if requested, is available in a smaller measure. This instance should not have occurred.’ Tricks Of The Restaurant Trade is on Channel 4 at 8.30pm tomorrow.