Food Business Operator Prosecuted

A food business operator from Powys has been prosecuted after they failed to display their food hygiene rating. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

John Roger Golesworthy, the operator of The Blue Boar, Castle Street, Hay-on-Wye pleaded guilty at Llandrindod Wells Magistrates Court on Wednesday 22 June after being prosecuted by Powys County Council’s Environmental Health Service. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr Golesworthy was fined £400 for the offence and was ordered to pay £200 legal costs, £150 investigation costs and a £40 victim surcharge. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Magistrates heard that the business was given a Food Hygiene Rating of 2 but officers found that the rating was not being displayed and the operator was warned that it was an offence not to display a valid rating. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A further visit to the premises found that the rating was still not being displayed so the operator was served with a £200 Fixed Penalty Notice. But this was not paid and the council started prosecution proceedings. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All food businesses in Wales are legally required to display their food hygiene rating. The sticker, which has the Welsh Government logo, showing the rating must be displayed at or near each entrance to the establishment that will be used by customers, in a place where it is capable of being easily read by customers before they enter the establishment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Food businesses are also required to tell customers what their current rating is, if they are asked to be informed verbally of the rating. This situation is likely to arise when for example; telephone orders are made to premises that could deliver food directly to the customer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr John Powell, Cabinet Member for Environmental Health, said: “The Food Hygiene Rating scheme is designed to help consumer choose where to eat out or shop for food by providing information about the hygiene standards in restaurants, pubs, cafés, takeaways, hotels as well as supermarkets and other food shops. It has also been designed to make sure that the ratings given to businesses are fair. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“This case should act as a warning to food business operators that if they fail to display their rating then the council will take the appropriate action. Our food safety officers will continue to make sure that food business comply by displaying their ratings.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All food hygiene ratings can be found by visiting www.food.gov.uk/ratings where you can search for the rating of a food business. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​