1:00pm Friday 19th March 2010
THREE food outlets in Swindon have voluntarily closed in the last few months due to pest infestations.
The premises were facing the threat of court proceedings after “appalling” conditions were found by Swindon Borough Council - and may yet face legal action.
The council also believes food outlets may be cutting back on pest control to save money.
Environmental health officers told the owners of the three businesses, which cannot be named for legal reasons, that there was an imminent risk to public health after they found dirt and food had accumulated which had attracted rodents.
Tell-tale signs of activity included droppings, gnawed food packaging and equipment, and grease-smeared “run” marks on the walls and in dust and debris.
The owners of the three food outlets took the decision to close to undertake urgent improvements. If they had not taken this action, the council would have sought an emergency closure order from a magistrates court.
The presence of rodent or insect infestations in a food business is considered to pose an imminent risk of injury to health, due to the potential for them to physically contaminate food, as well as their ability to transmit pathogenic bacteria and viruses, as they move from areas of dirt and rubbish to food, food preparation surfaces and equipment.
Coun Colin Lovell, cabinet member for a safer and stronger borough, said: “It is astounding to see that some food business operators tolerate such poor standards in their premises. It is vital that food business proprietors continually take positive action to keep their premises free of harmful pests to ensure that consumers are protected.
“One of the premises admitted that they had cancelled their pest control contract to save money. We would remind all food businesses that they have a legal duty to prevent risks to public health.”
The Food Hygiene Regulations and the Food Safety Act cover all premises where food is prepared or sold. For a hygiene and safety regime to comply with the due diligence provisions, regular and routine cleaning and periodic deep cleaning should be in place for all installations and equipment. Cleaning routines should be thorough and effective.
The Adver made representation to the council to name the three premises, but the council declined, stating that they had been advised to maintain anonymity of the food outlets by the Food Hygiene Regulations Council because of the potential of future prosecution.
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