Two food business operators based at the Golden Heart Inn, store Nettleton Bottom, cure have admitted that they made food available to customers which was injurious to health, and also failed to implement adequate food safety procedures for their event catering business.
Appearing at Cheltenham Magistrates Court on Monday 18 August, Catherine Stevens and David Morgan both pleaded guilty and were fined £3,500 each. They were also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £120 and costs of £375 each, a combined total of £7,990 in fines.
The Court heard that, in May 2013, the caterers provided Indian-style food and drink for a ‘Bollywood’ event at Birdlip and Brimpsfield Cricket Club in aid of the Great Western Air Ambulance Service. Approximately 165 people attended the event and nearly 70 suffered food poisoning symptoms the following day.
Cotswold District Council’s Public Protection Team received numerous calls from attendees to report their illness and this prompted Food Safety Officers to inspect the Golden Heart Inn and retrieve food and environmental samples. They then worked with experts at Public Health England on further investigations and it was confirmed that the food-borne illness was caused by the clostridium perfringen bacteria.
The Council concluded that the Golden Heart Inn lacked adequate food safety procedures for events and was also concerned about the standard of the cooling and reheating practices for large scale events. The business co-operated fully with the Council’s investigations and has now implemented suitable event food safety procedures.
The Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Carole Topple said:
“This highlights the importance of food business operators having suitable documented food safety procedures in place, covering all aspects of related activities, to ensure that the food they place on the market is safe.
“Whilst the food safety team makes every effort to work with businesses to improve standards, there is also a need for them to undertake enforcement work occasionally, and this case demonstrates the important role that they play in this regard.”