Artisan cheesemaker brings judicial review over E.coli claims

Errington Cheese’s products were recalled in September following allegations that 20 of the people struck down by the bug had eaten its Dunsyre Blue cheese.

However, owner Humphrey Errington, who has had to lay off 12 staff and bring business to a close, claimed that there was no evidence to support the charge his cheeses was connected with the outbreak.

He is being supported by food writer Joanna Blythmann, who has launched a crowdfunding campaign to help pay the company’s legal costs.

Mr Errington said: “We have been completely closed down.

“We have been shown nothing by the authorities that experts consider to be pathogenic and we are not sure what we are being accused of.”

He warned that the authorities are attempting to make cheese made from unpasteurised milk illegal.

Ms Blythmann said: “This is not just about Errington Cheeses, this is about creating a climate in which it is impossible for Scotland to have an artisan food industry.”