Hotel company plead guilty to food hygiene and health and safety offences

A hotel company has been prosecuted at Preston Magistrates Court, for five food hygiene offences and two health and safety offences at a Blackpool hotel.

Daish’s Blackpool Hotel Limited, the company responsible for Daish’s Hotel, 224-232 Promenade, Blackpool, FY1 1RZ, pleaded guilty to the offences on 29 July 2024.

On 31 August 2023, Blackpool Council’s Food Control Officers inspected the kitchen at the hotel, to discover a poor level of cleanliness in the kitchen, including dirt to the floor, equipment, shelving, and hand contact points such as switches and plugs.

Cooking equipment was greasy, food debris was found in the freezer, and pans were being stored on the floor. Stagnant water was found in a container beneath the sink following a leak.

A chest freezer that was labelled as ‘gluten free’ was found to be storing foods containing gluten, and therefore a contamination risk to those with an allergy to gluten.

Officers also noted that electrical equipment was showing damage to the wires, evidence of melting to an electrical socket and incorrect use of extension leads.

The company has previously been offered a simple caution for food hygiene offences, which was accepted by the company in February 2022.

Last month the company were ordered to pay a £14,000 fine, £2,000 victim surcharge and £2612.10 in costs.

Cllr Paula Burdess, Blackpool Council Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Street Scene and Neighbourhoods, said: “Our Food Control Officers were shocked by what they discovered during their inspection. The company was found to be flouting regulations put in place to keep the public safe, and the company has been successfully prosecuted. Such conduct will not be tolerated.

“We are pleased that the court imposed a fine which reflects the seriousness of the offences, and hopefully this will deter other businesses from operating in such a way that could put the public at risk.”