Restaurant closed for breaking Food Hygiene Laws

Environmental Health Officers closed a restaurant down this week after inspecting it because they found deficiencies in pest control in the restaurant; poison baits had been left out in the kitchens and dead mice were found in traps in food areas. The Officers issued an Emergency Prohibition Order and the restaurant owner had to appear in court. The court said it was satisfied that Food Hygiene Laws had been broken, that there was a risk to the health of diners and that the restaurant would have to remain closed until Environmental Heath believed it was fit for use again. The owner was ordered to pay costs too.

The court costs are the least of the financial effect on the business. When this case was reported in the local newspaper the exact name and address of restaurant was printed, along with the name of the owner. Even details of the holes where rats were getting in to the restaurant were reported! There’s no anonymity; all the local customers will know which restaurant to avoid in the future. It can be very hard indeed to recover from a closure and damaged reputation like this, especially in ‘challenging’ economic times.

Food Hygiene laws say very clearly that food and drink sold should be uncontaminated by pests and fit for human consumption, and pests must be kept out of food business in the first place. These laws apply to large hotels through to small sandwich bars.

We always recommend that food businesses use our contract pest control service; this keeps the pests most likely to get into a business and contaminate food – rats, mice and insects – under control all year round. We’ll do a survey of your food business or premises and provide a written quote for contract pest control. And we’ll advise on and fit pest proofing too. If you’re worried or would like advice then ring or email us. We’re nationally accredited members of the UK trade body, the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) so you can be sure that we know what we’re doing.

It really is best to get the professionals in; doing it yourself, or not at all, just isn’t worth it!