Ban for director of school meals supplier after hygiene breaches

The owner of a Lincolnshire school meals supplier has been given a four-year directorship ban for breaching food hygiene regulations.

Moira Anne Clark of Food 4 Thought pleaded guilty to charges after Boston Borough Council’s Environmental Health Department carried out an inspection of the company’s kitchen premises on 4 October 2013, and found 12 breaches of European Food Regulations, including the storage of raw meat on top of cooked meat, dirty equipment and utensils, and mouldy drinking cups.

As a result of the breaches, Boston Borough Council prosecuted the company. At a hearing on 24 March 2014 Clark pleaded guilty to the breaches, and the company was fined £13,800 plus £4,300 costs.

The resultant adverse publicity meant that the company subsequently lost most of its customers, and entered liquidation on 4 November 2014 owing £209,982 to creditors, resulting in an investigation by the Insolvency Service.

Sue Macleod, chief investigator at the Insolvency Service, said: “Moira Clark was responsible for breaches of food safety regulations which put the health of school children at risk. Disqualification will help to ensure that there is not a repeat occurrence of this serious failing, and will act as a warning to others.”