Hoteliers fined over hygiene

Two hoteliers who put their guests at risk because of their poor knowledge of basic hygiene and cleanliness have been fined.
A dirty extractor fanA dirty extractor fan
A dirty extractor fan

Adrian Garbutt and Rodney Smallwood charged £50 a night for bed and breakfast at the Arncliffe Hotel on Adelaide Street, Blackpool, but the kitchen was found in a disgusting state.

The duo, who live on the premises, received an official caution telling them to clean up the area but a second inspection revealed they had not done the remedial work demanded,the town’s magistrates were told.

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Garbutt and Smallwood both pleaded guilty to seven Hygiene Act offences – one of the worst was what prosecutor Lynda Bennett called a large accumulation of dog hair in the cooking area.

Dog hair accumulating in the kitchenDog hair accumulating in the kitchen
Dog hair accumulating in the kitchen

The were each ordered to pay £1,245 in fines and costs.

Sentence had been adjourned on the hoteliers at a previous hearing because magistrates were unhappy about financial information provided about the duo’s earnings from the hotel for which they pay £30,000 a year rent.

This time the Bench accepted that each of them earned around £100 a week.

Their lawyer Austin Welch said that the build up of dirt in the kitchen had been because of the poor performance of a chef and kitchen porter.

Dog hair accumulating in the kitchenDog hair accumulating in the kitchen
Dog hair accumulating in the kitchen
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But the prosecutor pointed out that Garbutt and Smallwood lived next door to the kitchen and used the kitchen to cook their own meals.

She added:”There was a lack of basic cleanliness in the premises as a whole. Basic requirements had not been met and this was of concern.”

“Poor cleaning leads to cross contamination of bacteria and this can cause illness or even death.”

The defence said that both men had experience in the hospitality trade but the Arncliffe was running at a loss.

Mould found in foodMould found in food
Mould found in food
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When the case first came to court, Coun Gillian Campbell, deputy leader of Blackpool Council, said: “If your business sells food to the public then you have a legal and moral duty to make sure that your kitchens and preparation areas are clean and that the food you serve is safe.

“Business who don’t follow the advice we offer them, or who repeatedly fail to comply with food law, will be prosecuted in line with our enforcement policy. This is to ensure consumers in Blackpool can be confident their food is safe to eat.”