I received a call from a local licensee in a highly distressed state. The local EHO Dept had been running their traffic light scheme for all businesses selling food. Red for unacceptable, amber for questionable and green for up to scratch. He had been visited in August 07 shortly after taking over and been told that he needed a couple of things to qualify for a green light, which he did and was told that he was fine. The pub was spotless, I having visited it shortly afterwards. Last week the two adjoining local authorities published their lists of food establishments and their gradings in a large spread in the local press and on their web sites, my local licensee had been put in the amber category and eight people phoned and cancelled the evening that the paper came out. He phoned the press and they didn’t want to know and said it was the EHO Dept, the EHO said it was a printing error and nothing to do with them, his business went very quiet on the Friday and he phoned me, I called a Solicitor who wrote some very quick letters and phone calls, the EHO changed the category on their web site, which in my book was an admission of guilt or error. I had the same problem in a similar situation and tried to sort it out and it cost me two months business, now I would use a Solicitor every time, even if it cost me £100 for a letter, provided that you are in the right. In my local licensees case he needs at least three weeks apology in the press, not some little two liner, but a picture etc, otherwise he will suffer like I did and we hope costs etc, which I am sure the Solicitor will take delight in handling.