The owner of the Victoria Inn in Roch was fined a total of £500 by Haverfordwest Magistrates on Monday after severely substandard hygiene conditions were found during a routine inspection of the premises.
In addition to the fine, £500 costs were awarded to Pembrokeshire County Council which brought the prosecution. A £15 victim surcharge was also imposed.
The owner, Julie Thomas, pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that the food premises was kept clean; failing to ensure that articles and equipment with which food comes into contact were kept clean, and to not having an adequate food safety management system in place at the premises.
The court heard that an officer from the Council’s Public Protection Division carried out an unannounced inspection on the 17th November last year.
The inspecting officer discovered poor standards of cleanliness throughout the food preparation and storage areas, in particular in areas where food handlers hands or equipment that comes directly into contact with food, could become contaminated with food poisoning bacteria.
The court was told that this can cause serious illnesses to people who eat contaminated food if such risks are not adequately controlled by regular and thorough cleaning by persons managing food businesses.
There was also no documented management system in place to ensure that such risks were identified and controlled.
Speaking after the case, the County Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environmental and Regulatory Services, Councillor Ken Rowlands, said the case demonstrated that the Authority would not accept poor standards of hygiene in premises serving food to the public.
“Premises that continually fail to meet hygiene standards run the risk of causing an outbreak of food poisoning” he warned.
“The case also highlights the importance that is placed on ensuring that businesses have systems in place to make sure that they manage food safety in their businesses.”
