Greene King pub slapped with £140,000 fine for dirty equipment

12-Oct-2017 - Last updated on 12-Oct-2017 at 14:39 GMT

Hygiene violations: the pub is part of Greene King's Hungry Horse brand (picture credit: Colin Smith)

A Surrey pub has been fined £140,000 for a slew of food-hygiene offences including having dirty equipment and not providing adequate materials for staff to clean their hands.

A representative from Greene King, owner of the Twynersh pub in Chertsey, appeared at Guildford Magistrates’ Court on Friday (6 October) and pleaded guilty to the hygiene offences discovered by Runnymede Borough Council’s environmental health officers during three visits last year.

The pubco was also ordered to pay costs of £22,751. The following failures were discovered by the council and accepted by Greene King:

Failing to ensure food premises were kept clean.
Failing to ensure wash basins in the kitchen were provided with adequate materials for cleaning hands and hygienic drying.
Failing to ensure all articles, fittings and equipment, which food came into contact with were effectively cleaned and, where necessary, disinfected.

A spokesman for the Twynersh recognised the issues and has since carried out training for the staff following the inspection.

Overhaul of hygiene procedures

He said: “We fully recognise the standards expected of the pub were not adhered to when the environmental health officers visited last year.

“We have since conducted refresher training for all team members, undertaken a complete overhaul of hygiene procedures, as well as introducing a new management team at the pub.

“We are working hard to ensure we continue to improve and meet the high standards expected of the business.”

Runnymede Borough Council environment and sustainability committee chairman Jonathan Wilson said: “When it comes to commercial food hygiene, Runnymede Borough Council has an important role in supporting business premises to meet acceptable standards."

Rare case

He added: “Most food outlets in the borough meet the required standards. On occasions when standards aren’t being met, our advice about the required improvements are usually followed.

“It is very rare, such as in this case, where legal action needs to be taken.”

Meanwhile, Shepherd Neame was ordered to pay a similarly large amount after one of its hotels was found to be in violation of four hygiene safety standards.

The Royal Wells Hotel, in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, was investigated by the local council in June 2016 after a complaint was received about rats in the kitchen.

The pub was ordered to pay almost £170,000 in fines and court fees and it issued a statement in which it said it “wholly accepted” the ruling.