Rotting food, filthy equipment and E.coli found in Devon pub kitchen

Officials inspecting the White Hart pub in Cullompton, Devon were met with the sight and smell of rotting food. Even though the pub is back open, it failed multiple food hygiene inspections. Exeter Magistrates' Court heard the multiple food hygiene offences the owner of the establishment faced. Jane Tadman admitted to six offences and has been fined £6,700 by the court.

Inspectors catalogued the condition of the kitchen after the first inspection. They were initially met with the smell of rotten food in the kitchen. Filthy worktops were littered with unwashed utensils and equipment. Plates of rotting food were seen left of the worktops as well. A dirty dishcloth from a worktop was sent to a lab to get tested for contamination.

Food and swabs from the kitchen were also sent for contamination tests. The dishcloth, food and swabs proved to have Escherichia coli and Enterobacteriaceae. Presence of the bacteria in the kitchen put the patrons at risk of falling extremely ill by ingesting cross-contaminated food.

Inspectors noted that there were flies in the kitchen with food left uncovered. Equipment such as the microwave and fryer were covered in grease. A saucepan with a stock of some sort was left open in the kitchen with mould growth in it.

The freezer and refrigerators also had mould on their seals. Within the freezers and refrigerators, the inspectors found various food items in different stages of decay. Cooked food like rhubarb pie as well as raw vegetables were found decomposing, yet still stored in the refrigerators. The garbage from the kitchen was also seen piling up.

Inspectors shut down the pub and ordered Tadman to improve the hygiene of the kitchen significantly before it could be opened. After the pub reopened, the inspectors visited again on July 11, 2019 to find no improvement in the food hygiene. The pub was closed a second time and was finally reopened in December 2019. It has remained open since December.

Tadman pleaded guilty to six offences, the Devon Live reported. The court fined Tadman £6,700 in total which included prosecution cost, victim surcharges, and the fined amount.