Food safety bosses from Wolverhampton City Council have welcomed a sentence handed to a bar that was prosecuted following the discovery of a dead rat in its kitchen (Photos on Flickr).
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Barracuda Bars Company Ltd, which owns the Varsity in the city centre, pleaded guilty to a charge of failing to ensure adequate procedures were in place to control pests at Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, January 17.
The company was fined £3,150 and ordered to pay £21,265 costs to the authority and a £15 victim surcharge.
Officers from the council’s Food and Environmental Safety team launched an investigation after being contacted by a concerned employee from the Stafford Street-based venue, on February 27 last year.
But, despite bosses being aware of rat activity in the kitchen before officers visited the premises, food was continually prepared and served to the public without contacting pest controllers. A total of 288 meals were served over two days before officers were made aware of the situation and closed the kitchen.
During the inspection, officers discovered a rat caught in a trap, the presence of rodent droppings throughout the kitchen, evidence of gnawing and serious pest proofing deficiencies.
Officers formally closed the kitchen by Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice which was confirmed by Order at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on March 7, 2011.
The Varsity initially pleaded not guilty to the charge but changed their plea at a late stage before Tuesday’s hearing.
Andy Jervis, Wolverhampton City Council’s Head of Regulatory Services, said: “We are pleased the courts have recognised the seriousness of this offence.
“Not only did the Varsity fail to act immediately upon discovering the problem but they also continued to serve food to the public – posing a very serious risk to the health of their customers.
“We hope that this case sends out a clear message to all food establishments in the city that poor standards of hygiene will not be tolerated.
“This is about protecting customers and staff as well as ensuring good, quality businesses can prosper in Wolverhampton.
“Should any traders require advice on maintaining required standards, they can contact our Food and Environmental Safety team. We also have an out of hours service that can be contacted on 01902 552999.”
Tuesday’s case is not the first time The Varsity has been prosecuted for poor cleanliness in it’s kitchens. Last June, the company was ordered to pay more than £8,000 after admitting a charge of poor hygiene standards.
