A popular Lichfield restaurant has been forced to close its doors after a suspected food poisoning outbreak left eight people, one of them a child, requiring hospital treatment.
The eatery, known as The Barn, had its premises licence immediately suspended following an urgent hearing of Lichfield District Council's licensing sub-committee. The emergency action was triggered after environmental health officers uncovered a catalogue of alarming hygiene failures during a visit to the Tamworth Road establishment.
The investigation was launched following reports that a group of eight diners had fallen severely ill after eating a meal at the venue on Saturday, June 15th. All eight victims were subsequently treated in hospital for symptoms consistent with food poisoning.
Shocking Hygiene Failures Uncovered
During their inspection, officers from the council's environmental health team documented a series of critical breaches. Among the most serious findings were:
- Dirty and unclean conditions throughout the food preparation areas.
- Evidence of pest infestation within the premises.
- Poor and unsafe food handling practices that posed a direct risk to public health.
- A general failure to comply with fundamental food hygiene and safety procedures.
A spokesperson for Lichfield District Council stated: "We can confirm that a premises licence has been suspended with immediate effect. This action was taken due to the serious nature of the evidence presented by environmental health officers, which demonstrated a significant risk to public health."
Restaurant Owners Respond
Representatives for the restaurant attended the licensing hearing. They confirmed that the business had already volunteered to close and was fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation. They expressed that the management was "deeply sorry" for the distress caused to the affected customers.
The suspension will remain in place until a full review of the premises licence is heard by the council's licensing sub-committee at a later date. This decisive action underscores the council's zero-tolerance approach to health and safety standards where public welfare is at stake.
