TRADING Standards officers swooped on dozens of pubs, restaurants and takeaways last night in the biggest such operation York has seen.

Officers visited businesses across the City of York area to test food and drink on one of the busiest race days of the year.

Thirty pubs and bars, 30 restaurants and 20 takeaways were subjected to rigorous checks by ten teams from City of York Council's environmental health and trading standards department.

The action followed concerns that retailers in the city could take advantage of race-day crowds. A smaller operation last year during a busy evening found 14 per cent of samples incorrectly described.

The Evening Press accompanied officers as they tested premium brand vodka, gin and rum to ensure the genuine article was being sold.

They also randomly tested spirits for watering-down and took samples of branded whisky for analysis.

Twenty hotels underwent the same checks, and takeaway meals were checked to see if ingredients were as described.

In total, 94 spirit and 18 takeaway samples were collected. Analysis results will be known in three to four weeks.

Colin Rumford, head of environmental health and trading standards, said every officer in the department was involved in the operation, including himself.

"We have never done anything like this before. This was the biggest operation of its kind in York," he said.

"We have got one eye to the future with Royal Ascot. If there are any bad products, we want to get it dealt with now so it can't damage the reputation of York in future.

Mr Rumford said they had received a good reception and had encountered few problems.

Updated: 10:58 Friday, August 20, 2004