Tourists in the West End face scams from rogue traders, leading to £70,000 in fines during a recent crackdown by local authorities
London: So, it turns out that some sneaky traders have been taking advantage of tourists in the West End. They’ve been using boxing machines and those flashy photo booths to scam people. Recently, local authorities slapped them with nearly £70,000 in fines during a pre-Christmas crackdown.
Westminster City Council inspectors didn’t stop there. They also went after pedicab riders who were charging visitors over £42 a mile for short rides. Can you believe that?
Just last month, two guys got hit with a hefty £1,860 fine for using those boxing machines in Leicester Square to lure tourists into their money-making schemes. The court even ordered the machines to be confiscated and destroyed. Ouch!
But wait, there’s more! Three other traders faced prosecution for illegal street trading. They were setting up photo booths, selling novelty gifts, and even peddling caramelised peanuts on Westminster Bridge. Talk about a wild scene!
And it’s not just the traders. A couple of restaurants got fined too—one fish and chip shop in Westbourne Park was hit with a £4,695 fine, while another on Edgware Road had to cough up £6,000 for fly-tipping. Yikes!
Westminster’s environmental health teams also shut down five places for poor hygiene. Plus, there were four prosecutions related to noise from revving supercars. It’s been a busy time for the inspectors!
Aicha Less, the deputy leader of Westminster, made it clear that these prosecutions are a warning to anyone trying to rip off tourists this Christmas. She emphasized that the council has a zero-tolerance policy for such behavior. They’re on it!
She praised the hard work of city inspectors and environmental health officers, saying they’re dedicated to keeping Westminster safe. It’s good to know someone’s looking out for the tourists!