Private Members Clubs are the future. New legal dilemma for authorities.

In for a pound
By MARTIN DELGADO,
Mail on Sunday 08:54am 29th August 2004

Jubilant traders have discovered a legal loophole which could scupper Government plans to abolish the imperial system of weights and measures.

Shops around the country are now preparing to put themselves beyond the reach of the law by turning themselves into private clubs.

The clubs ask shoppers to make a nominal donation to join and are then able to sell in pounds and ounces, apparently without breaking the law.Enforcement officers have visited at least one store operating in this way but have taken no action against it.

The rebels could make it impossible for Ministers to meet their target of falling into line with European regulations by totally abolishing imperial measures in shops before the end of 2009.

One of the rebels, Peter Halstead, runs a fishmonger's in the Hertfordshire village of Codicote.
"It's right for Britain and my customers"
He explained yesterday how the system works: "If someone new comes in, we explain we are selling only in pounds and ounces and that, if they want to be served, they have to join our Imperial Club.
"They have to put 1p in a charity box - which gives them life membership - and write their names and addresses in a book. They are then given a registration number - normally the last three digits of their telephone number - which they quote each time they make a purchase."
The shop already has more than 1,000 loyal 'members' on its roll, with customers coming from miles around to support its stance.

Mr Halstead, 54, said enforcement officers had visited his store and quizzed him about his club but had not taken any action against him.
He has run Gemini Fish Supplies for 16 years and told yesterday how he converted to metric when the law originally changed - but switched back after just three months.

He said: "Many of our customers are quite elderly and we realised more than half of them didn't understand the new system.
"It was wrong to ban imperial measures at a stroke and alienate so much of the population.
"How can you appreciate the intrinsic value of what you're buying unless you understand the system by which the goods are weighed and measured?"

Mr Halstead said some customers were taken aback when he asked them to join the Imperial Club.

He said: "They think we're doing it for a laugh. But when we explain it to them, they always join.

The only exception was a chap last week who was an ardent pro-European. He said we were fundamentalists and accused us of refusing to serve him, which wasn't true.
"When the inspectors came we told them about the club and they wrote it all down but we've heard nothing. Unless someone tells us it's illegal, we're going to carry on. I am taking a stand because I believe it's the right thing to do for Britain and for my customers.'

Metric Association chairman Robin Paice said last night: "It is essential to consumer protection that everybody understands and uses the same system of weights and measures.
"This possible loophole in the law only adds to the existing confusion and mess of British weights and measures."

But Neil Herron, of the Metric Martyrs Defence Fund, said he would encourage supporters to follow Mr Halstead's example.
"This could spread around the country. It would be a fantastic legal challenge if they tried to prosecute private members' clubs," he said.