Butcher's vow to fight scales of justice

BATTLING butcher Edward Smith has won another round of his heavyweight clash with Rotherham Council after once again refusing to give up his beloved Imperial scales.
By The Newsroom
Published 31st Aug 2007, 09:50 BST
Updated 31st Aug 2007, 10:31 BST

Two Trading Standards officers marched into his Rawmarsh shop with a police officer and demanded his trusty pounds and ounces measuring machine.

But the 63-year-old ‘metric martyr’ remained defiant for the second time and refused to hand over the scales - which he claims 99 out of 100 customers want.

The officers walked out, but vowed they would be back.

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Today Edward, who runs Edward Smith Family Butchers in Thorogate, Rawmarsh, said: “I already have metric scales but I do not want to use them on principle. They won’t grind me down.”

Edward is being backed by Neil Herron of the Sunderland-based Metric Martyrs Defence Fund.

He said: “I think they are starting to get heavy-handed now, but again they walked away without the scales.

“I don’t know what their game is, although I think they are trying to grind down Edward so he eventually just gives them up.

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Rotherham Council today said it was considering seizing Mr Smith’s scales later.

A spokesman said: “We are aware of Mr Smith’s standpoint and have been advising him on how to comply with the legislation and the penalties for non-compliance.

Related topics:Rotherham CouncilRawmarshSunderland