A WEYMOUTH pub boss has been ordered to pay more than £10,000 in fines and costs after breaching food hygiene regulations.

Daniel Haynes, the food business operator of The Old Ship Inn at Ridgeway, Upwey, pleaded guilty to eight charges of contravening/failing to comply with any of the specified community provisions contrary to food hygiene regulations at Weymouth Magistrates Court. The charges relate to an inspection in July last year.

Following the initial inspection, the kitchen voluntarily closed while staff cleaned but it was reopened 24 hours later after inspectors were satisfied with a second inspection.

More than £6,000 has since been spent on kitchen equipment and cleaning, the court heard.

Weymouth and Portland Borough Council brought the charges and prosecutor Helen Gardener said that on July 25, 2013 environmental health officer Janet Moore made an unannounced inspection.

Reading from Mrs Moore’s report, Mrs Gardener said: “My initial impression of the kitchen, it was grubby and disorganised.”

Magistrates were shown various photos highlighting the different offences Mrs Moore saw.

In mitigation Trevor Line, speaking for Mr Haynes, said although Mr Haynes had worked in the trade before, it was his first solo venture and he took over in January 2011.

Mr Line added that Mr Haynes had relied heavily on the staff in the kitchen to do their jobs properly and added that since the inspection there has been a change of staff.

Mr Line added that during 2013, Mr Haynes had also been undergoing personal problems.

He said Mr Haynes had fully accepted the breaches put to him, had explained his position and was remorseful.

Mr Line said more than £6,000 had been spent on new equipment for the kitchen and cleaning.

He added: “He has done other works since and put procedures in place to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

This includes a tick box checklist for staff to do every day.

Mr Line added no complaints were made to Mr Haynes regarding the food from customers and added that Mr Haynes was surprised no further inspection had taken place since.

Chairman of the bench Michael Kay said the eight offences shown a ‘very poor’ standard of food hygiene at a premises where Mr Haynes was the licence holder and named food hygiene supervisor.

Mr Kay said magistrates gave Mr Haynes credit for his guilty plea and for co-operating with the investigation, and gave him credit for correcting the food hygiene to the satisfaction of the food hygiene inspectors.

He said they could give a fine of £5,000 per offence, but Mr Kay added: “For each offence we impose a fine of £1,000 and make an order of costs for £2,167.50.”

Food hygiene regulations . . . the eight charges listed in full

The eight charges of contravening/failing to comply with any of the specified community provisions contrary to food hygiene regulations related to:

  • The food premises were not kept clean and maintained in good repair and condition.
  • An adequate number of wash basins were not available as designated for cleaning hands and not provided with materials for cleaning hands.
  • There was no suitable and sufficient means of natural or mechanical ventilation.
  • In rooms where food was prepared, treated or processed, the design and layout did not permit good food hygiene practices including protection against contamination between operations, in particular wall surfaces were not maintained in a sound condition.
  • Adequate facilities were not provided where necessary for the cleaning, disinfection and storage of working utensils and equipment.
  • All articles, fittings and equipment with which food comes into contact were not effectively cleaned and where necessary disinfected with cleaning and disinfection taking place at a frequency sufficient to avoid any risk of contamination and not kept in such good order, repair and condition so as to minimise any risk of contamination.
  • The defendant had not ensured that food handlers were supervised and instructed and/or trained in food hygiene matters commensurate with their work activity.
  • The defendant had not put in place, implemented or maintained a permanent procedure or procedures based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points principles.

How they fared - inspection results

These are given by the Food Standards Agency. On their website people can view what ratings a local food outlet has. The website address is: ratings.food.gov.uk The hygiene ratings can also be viewed on the FSA agency website via dorsetforyou.co.uk Ratings go from 5 (very good) to 0 (urgent improvement necessary).

These are the latest ratings available for the businesses named on the FSA website and are correct as of 3.40pm on June 12, 2014.

Weymouth and Portland area
Rating of 2/5 – Improvement necessary:
Condor Ferries Casquets Bistro at Weymouth Harbour Complex – Inspected: September 30, 2013
Dolce Vita in St Thomas Street, Weymouth – Inspected: January 21, 2013
Domino’s Pizza in King Street, Weymouth – Inspected: January 16, 2014
Tom and Erins Ice Cream Parlour on the Esplanade, Weymouth – Inspected: November 6, 2012 Eight Kings at Southwell, Portland – Inspected: May 16, 2013

Royal Standard Public House in Dorchester Road, Weymouth – Inspected: February 24, 2014

Rating 1/5 – Major improvement necessary
Peking Town on the Esplanade, Weymouth – Inspected: April 30, 2012
Sense Wine Bar and Bistro in St Mary Street, Weymouth – Inspected: December 19, 2013
The Star in Gloucester Street, Weymouth – Inspected: March 12, 2013

Rating 0/5 – Urgent improvement necessary
The Old Ship Inn at Ridgeway, Weymouth – Inspected: July 25, 2013

WEST DORSET AREA – correct as of 8.13pm on June 4
Rating 2/5 – improvement necessary
Trinity Club – Bar in Trinity Street Dorchester – Inspected: June 12, 2013
Tom Browns in High East Street Dorchester – Inspected: February 15, 2013
Simon Dunn Chocolatiers on East Street, Bridport – Inspected: May 16, 2013
Monkton Wyld School, Monkton Wyld Court on Elsdons Lane – Inspected: March 27, 2013
Lyric Theatre in Barrack Street, Bridport – Inspected: December 18, 2012
Forston Clinic in Herrison Road, Charlton – Inspected: May 8, 2014 Fortune Palace in Road House, Yeovil Road, Over Compton – Inspected: November 22, 2013
Cowpool Farm, Stoford – Inspected: February 21, 2011
Charmouth Bakery at The Arcade, Charmouth – Inspected: March 28, 2013 Bottle Inn, Marshwood – Inspected February 28, 2013

Rating 1/5- Major Improvement necessary
History Girls – Private address registered with West Dorset local authority – Inspected: March 21, 2013
Meerhay Manor in Newtown, Beaminster – Inspected October 8, 2013
Number 35 coffee house and kitchen in High West Street, Dorchester – Inspected: October 16, 2013
Piddletrenthide Post Office and Stores in Main Street, Piddletrenthide – Inspected: November 29, 2013
Riverside Takeaway in Dorchester Road, Maiden Newton- Inspected: April 22, 2014

Rating 0/5 – Urgent improvement necessary
No results found

Concern at court delay

Weymouth and Portland spokesman for community safety Mike Goodman hit out at the length of time the case had taken to go through court.

He said the environmental health team had the full support of himself as briefholder and the borough council.

But he added that he would be investigating why the investigation into the Old Ship Inn had taken so long to go through the courts.

He said: “I’m a bit concerned – firstly, when something’s wrong the public aren’t warned there’s a risk and secondly, if it’s then put right, I think it’s an awful shame if nearly a year later the business is damaged because it’s taken so long to process through the courts.”