A seven-year-old boy required emergency treatment after eating a burger at London's iconic Trocadero, where staff were unaware of the rules for serving gluten-free food, a court has heard. The incident occurred at the Rainforest Café on Shaftesbury Avenue in October 2021.
Westminster City Council inspectors found multiple health and safety failings, including staff lacking knowledge of allergens, regular and gluten-free buns stored together risking cross-contamination, and inadequate training and record-keeping. The court was told that procedures for serving gluten-free food were 'being carried out haphazardly'.
On Friday, Judge Tony Baumgartner fined Trocadero (London) Hotel Limited £45,000 after the company pleaded guilty to five health and safety breaches. The judge noted that inspectors found 'no procedures to identify, eliminate, and reduce hazards' despite the café offering gluten-free options.
The café failed a second inspection in December 2021, despite improvement notices being issued. The court heard that director Marc Sandfort took urgent action to clean the kitchen and improve procedures after the second failed inspection. The Rainforest Café has since closed, and the premises now operates as a Bavarian beer hall.
Councillor Aicha Less, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Public Protection at Westminster City Council, said: 'The lapses in public safety in this case fall well below the standard we expect for restaurants in Westminster. We work with all businesses to ensure they maintain appropriate food standards and will not hesitate in taking action when customers are placed at risk.'
