Stonegate pub fined £53k after mouse infestation found
The Goose pub, in Walthamstow, east London, did not have adequate measures to prevent pest infestations that could have endangered customers when food safety officers visited in 2018.
Pub owner Stonegate Pub Company was ordered to pay a fine of £53,333 for inadequate pest control measures at the Thames Magistrates’ Court on Friday 7 February.
It was also ordered to pay costs of £4,042 and a victim surcharge of £170, bringing its total bill to £57,527.
The fine is the highest a food operator in the Waltham Forest borough has ever been issued for failing to meet safety standards to date.
A “large and active” mouse infestation was discovered by Waltham Forest Council officers visited the pub on Wednesday 4 September 2018.
Mouse droppings were photographed in the kitchen, near food storage areas and even on the yoghurt pots meant for children.
Irreparable damage
The premises was closed for a few days pending urgent remedial action to improve standards in 2018.
The pub received a four-star rating on its last inspection, on 8 January 2019.
Councillor Clyde Loakes, deputy leader and cabinet member for the environment, said: “Having the correct pest control measures in place is not difficult and it’s hard to understand why the owners of the Goose failed so badly.
He added: “Food businesses know they must do all they can to make sure customers are not in danger of illness or worse because of vermin or nasty bugs in their kitchens or premises – it’s that simple.
“Aside from the damage to their wallets, food businesses risk irreparable damage to their reputations when they are prosecuted for food safety failings.”
Record fine
Loakes continued: “This huge fine – the largest we have seen in Waltham Forest – sends a clear message to food businesses: there is no excuse for not taking your responsibilities seriously.
“We will always press for the harshest penalties against those who seek to cut corners and, through doing so, play games with their customers’ health.”
A spokesperson for Stonegate said: “As soon as we became aware of the situation back in 2018, we took immediate action, voluntarily closing the site for a few days.
"The Goose now has a four-star environmental health rating as a result of the high standards adopted in the business, and is striving to achieve the highest five-star rating when the site is next reviewed.”
