Man prosecuted for the second time for hygiene offences at restaurant

A man has been prosecuted at Blackpool Magistrates Court for the second time for food hygiene offences at his promenade restaurant The Eating Inn.

He pleaded guilty to seven offences last month under the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations 2013 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008.

Ben Shorrock was fined £5,000, ordered to pay costs of £390 and a victim surcharge of £170 on the May 3.

Environmental Health officers from Blackpool Council discovered food preparation surfaces had raw and ready to eat food stored and prepared altogether, along with no antibacterial cleaner available for surfaces and equipment to be disinfected.

Directly above open foods were adhesive fly strips with dead insects attached. The kitchen was found to be dirty and generally chaotic. Water in the sink where dirty crockery was being rinsed, was grimy and dark brown in colour. The only hand wash basin in the kitchen was obstructed with a colander of defrosting prawns meaning food handlers were not able to wash their hands when preparing food. Onions were stored outside on a dirty floor among dirty cleaning equipment.

Shorrock pleaded guilty under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 to misleading the public by displaying a food hygiene rating of four when it was actually rated two.

Shorrock was also prosecuted by Blackpool Council in 2010, along with his father, Michael for similar offences. He had also been served with various hygiene improvement notices and accepted simple cautions prior to the second prosecution.

Tim Coglan, Blackpool Council service manager for public protection, said: “Our officers continue to do a great job of protecting visitors and residents in this town. The Eating Inn is an example of how some business owners consistently disregard the law.

“The premises were found to be flouting regulations put in place to keep the public safe, and this owner has now been prosecuted for a second time. It will not be tolerated. We are pleased that the courts imposed a fine which reflects the seriousness of the offence, and hopefully this will deter other business owners from serving food that could put the public at risk.”