Old chicken and a bloody, greasy fridge land pub with £7,000 bill
A Hertfordshire licensee was ordered to pay more than £7,000 after it was found serving chicken breasts two days out-of-date to customers.
An environmental health officer visited the Motte and Bailey in Pirton, near Hitchin, on 12 May last year and found cooked ham was stored in direct contact with raw steak and the chicken breasts.
The officer also found the internal parts of the fridges had spilt blood, grease and food crumbs and that the food business operator was handling food without wearing protection clothing, according to North Hertfordshire District Council.
Advice was given by the officers to the licensee but there was little improvement when they returned on 22 November 2016 and more evidence was gathered, which resulted in additional offences.
Licensee Andrew Barker was charged with 10 offences including providing unsafe food, failure to keep the premises clean, failure to protect the food from contamination and failure to provide an accessible hand wash basin.
During sentencing at Stevenage Magistrates’ Court, Barker was ordered to pay a total of £5,300 plus £60 towards victim surcharge and £1,682.50 for the council’s costs making the total £7,042.50.
