Black Dog’s bin bag problem leads to fine

THE owners of the Black Dog Ballroom in Manchester’s Northern Quarter has been ordered to pay nearly £3,000 in fines and costs after managers were found to have dumped rubbish on a city centre street.

Andaros, the company which owns the venue off Oldham Street, was fined £1,250 for the first offence of allowing waste to build up and £250 each for a further three offences.

It was also ordered to pay £795.70 costs and a £15 victims of crime surcharge, during a hearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, December 15.

The venue, which is run by Ross Mackenzie and Jobe Ferguson, was brought to court after a Manchester City Council officer spotted the bags of rubbish behind the night club in August, containing bottles and bar waste. The rubbish surrounded the venue’s large bins, which were also overflowing.

City Council officers warned the venue managers about this, but bags full of waste were again spotted outside the venue through September.

Councillor Paul Andrews, the City Council’s Executive member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “If bars and clubs do not deal with their waste correctly the rubbish build up is unhygienic and can attract vermin.

“The City Council is eager to work with businesses if they have problems dealing with their waste, but we will not hesitate to prosecute in cases where they continue to disregard the rules.”