Pub hit by £150k fine for polluting stream in Cleveland

The hefty charge will fall with Spirit Pub Company, owner of the Cross Keys Inn in Guisborough.

The pubco was prosecuted by the Environment Agency for brown, foamy waste making its way into a stream next to the pub, ruining water for 720m people and risking health of livestock by the stream.

Warning to operators

Operators have been warned to heed this warning and to ensure pubs prevent environmental harm. A spokesman for the Cross Keys has apologised to the community, and steps have been taken to rectify the problem.

The pub had a permit allowing it to dispose of sewage effluent, on the condition that it protects the stream from environmental damage.

Spirit pleaded guilty to three offences – costing £50,000 each – two for breaching its permit conditions and one for not maintaining sewage treatment works.

It's claimed the pub was warned for "inadequate discharge" of effluent into the stream on a visit by the Environment Agency, but on a revisit the problem had not been resolved.

Apology

A spokesperson for the Cross Keys pub, Guisborough told the PMA​: “We have apologised unreservedly to the local community and acted immediately to rectify the problem. We would like to reassure our customers and the community that the pub now meets all environmental standards.

 “We take our environmental responsibilities very seriously and are disappointed that this incident occurred. We have taken a number of steps to ensure there will be no repeat.

“A new system of risk assessment has been introduced so that daily inspections are made of the sewage outfall to ensure that the discharge is running clear. These checks are recorded and immediate action will be taken to remedy any issues or concerns raised.”

Court report

Regional paper in Middlesbrough the Gazette Live reported the Environment Agency’s Jackie Frank stating in Teeside Magistrates’ Court: “There appears to have been no monitoring of the sewage plant between the three-monthly service visits and no visual checks on the outfall.

“When our investigations found that the treatment works were discharging inadequately treated sewage into the stream we told the company to take immediate action, but no steps were taken to make any improvements to the situation.

“In this case a contractor was employed to service the treatment works, but this does not absolve the operator from being responsible for ensuring permit compliance.

“Since this incident it does appear the company has taken steps to put in place systems to ensure the proper operation of the facility, including an alarm to alert staff of a fault, and daily checks on the outfall.”

She said the fine should act as a warning to other operators.