Costa cops a £3k fine

COSTA Coffee has been hit with a £3,000 fine after failing to dispose of rubbish correctly at its Albion Street branch.

The coffee chain repeatedly allowed bags of rubbish to pile up outside despite being warned by Leeds City Council to clean up their act.

Officers from the council’s environmental action team first warned Costa in 2008 for allowing bags of food waste and packaging to pile up.

After two further incidents took place in September 2010 a fine was issued – but this still didn’t stop the build up of rubbish, and more bags of waste were found outside the store in November 2010.

Whitbread Group, which owns Costa, pleaded guilty at Leeds Magistrates Court on Friday 17 June to failing to store and dispose of their waste correctly.

The company was fined £1,000 with £2,354 costs.

“We will not hesitate to take action against businesses that repeatedly allow their waste to build up outside their premises,” said Councillor Mark Dobson, executive member for environmental services.

“We are committed to keeping the whole of Leeds as clean and tidy as possible, and this fine is a warning of the costly consequences that businesses face if they do not share our ambition.”