FOOD HYGIENE

'Dirty and greasy' pub fined £2.5k for food hygiene violations

By Daniel Woolfson

- Last updated on GMT

Food offences: Devon licensee pleaded guilty to five violations of food safety rules
Food offences: Devon licensee pleaded guilty to five violations of food safety rules

Related tags Food safety Food standards agency

A pub was slapped with a £2,500 bill after environmental health officers discovered a range of potentially dangerous food safety violations. 

Roger Haywood, 66, who is licensee of the Passage House Inn, Kingsteignton, Devon, pleaded guilty to five violations of the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations 2013 at Torquay Magistrates' Court on Monday (20 December) and was told to pay a total of £2,578 in fines and costs.

Inspectors uncovered a slew of food safety offences when they visited his pub in August 2015.

The floors of the pub, walls, switches and equipment were “dirty and greasy”, surfaces were in “poor repair”, gone-off food was left in one of the pub’s fridges and there was no evidence of documented food safety management procedures in place.

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However, improvements to the pub’s hygiene standards have been made since the original inspection, The Morning Advertiser ​(MA​) understands.

Breaches

Teignbridge District executive for health and wellbeing, councillor Sylvia Russell, said: “Teignbridge take any breaches under Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations seriously."

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She added: “As in any case, prosecution is deemed a last resort and it is good news to hear that food hygiene standards have significantly improved along with food safety management controls being put into pace.

“Our Teignbridge food safety officers have consistently provided advice and guidance to the owner throughout this case.”

Scores on doors

MA ​recently reported that pubs across England could soon be forced to publicly display​ their food hygiene ratings for customers.  

The Local Government Association has called for the extension of legislation already in place in Northern Ireland and Wales, by which failing to do so can result in serious fines and prosecution.

The Food Standards Agency has repeatedly voiced its support​ for extending legislation, claiming that as well as making dining out safer for customers, it would create an added incentive for businesses with poor scores to improve. 

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