Aberdeen newsagent gets first ever tobacco ban in Scotland

Aberdeen City Council has applied for a tobacco ban order against Shriraj Gindha, trading as Tony’s Newsagent, in Victoria Road, Torry, Aberdeen.

The newsagent is believed to have become the first in Scotland to face a tobacco ban, and the order will be in place for a year.

[pull_quote_center]Despite numerous advisory visits, repeated warnings and fixed penalty notices, he continued to sell cigarettes to our 16-year-old test purchasing volunteers[/pull_quote_center]

It comes hot on the heels of tobacco supplier JTI’s zero tolerance campaign against retailers who flout the law. In October last year Cheltenham trader Mohammed Sedoo had the gantry ripped out of his shop by JTI after he was found guilty of selling illicit tobacco.

In the Aberdeen case, Gindha’s local authority said he had repeatedly been caught selling tobacco products to under age customers.

Aberdeen City Council Trading Standards team leader Graeme Paton said: “Despite numerous advisory visits, repeated warnings and fixed penalty notices, Mr Gindha continued to sell cigarettes to our 16-year-old test purchasing volunteers, never asking for proof of age or their date of birth.”