Pub food bosses fined as TWENTY customers fall ill after carvery

A 94-year-old woman and several children were among the people poisoned after eating a carvery at Park Lane Tavern in Park Lane, Cradley.

The food operator at the pub, IP Carvery, made a formal public apology during a hearing at Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court, which heard all the affected customers had eaten in a two-hour slot.

The court heard how all 20 customers had suffered Clostridium Perfringens food poisoning, a bug associated with the inadequate cooling of meat.

Two leftover samples of turkey taken home by the customers were found to be contaminated with the bacteria, following the visit on April 2 last year.

IP Carvery Ltd told the court that the company now employed a food safety expert to advise them who now regularly inspects the company’s premises and that staff had been retrained.

The firm pleaded guilty in court to an offence of placing unsafe food on the market in a case brought by Dudley Council.

The company was fined £1,350 and ordered to pay costs of £2,483.55 to Dudley Council and a victim surcharge of £120.

It is understood that the company’s insurers have also received compensation claims on behalf of affected customers.

Nick Powell, head of environmental health at Dudley Council, said: “Serious food safety errors were made in this case which put the health of customers at risk and caused illness in 20 people, who fortunately recovered but the outcome could have been far worse as young children and the elderly are often more severely affected by food poisoning.

"Whilst we prefer to work with businesses to secure compliance with the law, we will not hesitate to take legal action against the minority of food businesses proprietors who fail to meet their legal responsibilities and put public health at risk as a result."

The pub has been approached for comment by the Express & Star.