Shopkeeper fined £300 by council for using black bin bags instead of grey

Customers shopping for clothes at the Charli boutique watched in amazement when two uniformed men marched in and threatened staff with criminal prosecution.

Their crime? Putting out rubbish in the wrong-coloured bin bags.

Council officers announced that the shop in Muswell Hill, North London, would be fined £300 after using black bags because they had run out of the grey version issued by the local authority.

The designer store had been waiting since July 1 for a delivery of new bags, but by the 17th staff decided they would have to put their rotting rubbish out in four standard black bags  -  a decision which cost them £75 per bag.

Owner Sangita Ibrahim, 47, said: 'The shop was really busy and they came in here like the Gestapo.

'Staff were told they would face criminal prosecution and receive a criminal record for the bags. I felt like I was going to be frogmarched away.'

Colleague Nicole Rosbrook said: 'The two men actually went through the bags, leaving them open and rubbish strewn over the pavement.'

Manager Dora Panagi, 41, added: 'Muswell Hill has a real pest problem and we had food in the bags in the stock room.

'We had been waiting two weeks for these grey bags to be delivered so we could put it out.

'It started to smell terrible so we put it in four black bags and put two of the grey council bags on top so that they would know it was our rubbish and take it.

'When I came in the next day there was rubbish all over the pavement and I thought that foxes had got to it.

'Then in walked these two guys looking like policemen with all the badges and the way they dealt with it was horrific.

One said there had been a criminal offence and I didn't know what he was talking about. My knees were shaking.

She said that when customers tried to intervene they were brushed aside by the officials.

'Funnily enough the next morning after that happened the bags were finally delivered.'

A Haringey Council spokesman said: 'We are working very hard with residents to stop people abusing the trade waste collection by using it for their rubbish.

Trade waste is left out in specific bags to ensure we provide paying traders with an efficient service.

The rubbish was clearly not in the correct bags and looked like the many fly-tipping bags our traders find dumped in their waste.

'Consequently the notice was lawfully issued by our fly-tipping patrol who followed proper procedures.

'Having investigated the situation with our contractors who collect trade waste and supply the trade waste bags, we will be contacting the shop to arrange cancelling the enforcement notice in this case.'

Council staff at a rubbish tip are to wear head cameras so they can record bad behaviour by members of the public.

Poole Council in Dorset said the move was designed to protect its staff at the Nuffield Household Waste and Recycling Centre after recent cases of abuse and aggression.