A hotel chain has been fined £11,000 after wedding guests fell ill from contaminated chicken liver pate. The pate, served at the Best Western George Hotel in Lichfield last May, was contaminated with campylobacter enteritis bacteria, causing 33 people to fall ill, including a child. One guest was hospitalised.
The George Hotel pleaded guilty at Stafford Magistrates' Court to the offence. An investigation by Lichfield Council and Public Health England found the pate had not been safely produced, with temperatures unmonitored and no written procedures in place. Other issues included poor staff record keeping and a lack of hand towels and soap in the staff toilet.
Councillor Colin Greatorex, cabinet member for housing and health at Lichfield District Council, said: 'We take the safety of local residents and visitors very seriously. This case shows that no matter how prestigious a venue, standards cannot slip.' He thanked the environmental health team for their efficient investigation.
Mark Santy, general manager at the George Hotel, apologised to those affected, stating: 'Our team has always prided itself on high standards. We are devastated by this unprecedented case.' He noted that the two chefs involved no longer work at the hotel, and that the hotel serves over 23,000 meals a year with a four-star environmental health rating.
