A Surrey pub that now has the highest possible rating for its food hygiene has been fined more than £11,000 over an historic mouse infestation.
Gastro UK Ltd, the company operating the Alexander Public House in Weybridge, admitted eight food hygiene offences at Redhill Magistrates’ Court on 19 May, relating to offences found on 15 August and 25
September 2014.
The company was fined a total of £11,200 and ordered to pay a £120 surcharge and the council’s full costs of £2,596.66 for the offences.
Officers from Elmbridge Borough Council’s food team carried out a routine food hygiene inspection in August 2014 and found evidence of a mouse infestation in several areas alongside poor cleaning and lack of a suitable food safety management system.
When they paid a subsequent visit to check on compliance, the pub had not dealt with all the matters raised but after a short closure it improved standards and received a food hygiene rating of 5 at its most recent inspection, in March 2015.
Cllr Glenn Dearlove, the council’s cabinet member for environmental issues, said: “It is right that the management of the Alexander Public House have been held accountable for their failure to comply with important food hygiene legislation.
“However, the subsequent improvement to a food hygiene rating of 5 demonstrates not only how hard they have worked, but also the improvement our food and safety officers can bring about when businesses work with us.”
Palmers can provide expert advice to food businesses on the wide-ranging safety and hygiene issues contained in legislation including the Food Safety Act 1990 and food regulations.
We can assist with issues including advice on legislative compliance, verbal and written warnings issued by local authority enforcement officers, improvement notices and emergency prohibition notices, with an aim to avoiding prosecution wherever possible. For more information, please contact our food safety specialist Jeremy Sirrell.