The news this morning just about sums up the lunacy of this countries legal system and the current financial depravity being suffered by such. When poverty beckons for such branches of our economic world there are only one set of people who can get them out of trouble. Us! Long have the ordinary rank & file been held accountable to the great God ‘prosperity’ but this one tops the lot!
Miss Lemm, 39, runs the “Judge & Jury” Public House in Colwyn Bay (North Wales). For those who don’t know (?) it’s that little country on the left that now wants to ban smoking in cars because some nutcase doctor has decreed that having a fag in a car is akin to re-routing the exhaust pipe through the heating system! Basically, Wales are vying for world leadership in tobacco control because they can’t lead in anything else! but back to the tale of lunacy!
Miss Lemm was awaiting her no smoking signs from where-ever they had been ordered, so decided that, better some signage than none and duly created her own no smoking signs, which she proudy displayed around her pub. Initiative? 10/10 baby!
Err, apparently, not so for some twerp from Environmental Health Dept (Someke Plod no less) swooped to conquer on this most evil of crimes as Inspectors discovered the pub’s landlady “had violated regulations which decree that No Smoking signs must be rectangular with the shortest side at least 6.3in long“. Oh my God! ” the shortest side WASN’T at least 6.3in long“.
Illegal-only 5″ sq!
She was given a mandatory £150 boot up the backside which, in many peoples view she quite rightly ignored on the grounds of the EHO’s complete and utter stupidity. But this only compounded matters as once the FPN has been issued the full weight of the onerous law is in action-hence non-payment equals a summons to appear in court.
Once there the poor lady had no chance for the ‘circus’ is only just getting into gear. You may ask why I call it a circus-go watch any smoking related prosecution for yourselves and you will soon learn! (Perhaps a Brian Rix farce would be more appropriate!) You would think that common sense would prevail:
Lady takes over pub/needs to renew tatty signs (whichever)… Lady orders new signage (how long does it take the postal system?)… Lady uses initiative in interim period with intention of being lawful… EHO’s swoop like birds of prey-‘easy victim in open field’… EHO’s mark up another victory, including £15 Victims Surcharge-when the victim is Miss Lemm herself!
Now, having watched the pub scene disintegrate over the past 4 years I can confidently predict that Miss Lemm won’t be earning herself £301 this week so as to pay the ridiculously implemented fine and leave herself with £1. It may be summer but the pubs are still not ‘heaving with bodies’.
Miss Lemm has no chance of escape now. The establishment have got their claws in-good ‘n proper; no escape. £300 down the drain, EHO’s on her back to ensure correct size signage and the sad knowledge that there is no room for initiative in a sheep loving country where the people, in the main, are the sheep for lunacy doth reign supreme!