Oldham pub covered in dirt

Oldham pub’s former landlord fined for breaching food safety

  • Former landlord of the Northgate, on Sholder Lane in Oldham, fined £1,600
  • Kitchen found by health officials to be covered in dirt and old food
  • Cigarette ends found discarded in kitchen
  • Pub under new management and found by officers on a follow-up visit to have improved its standards

Oldham Council has successfully prosecuted the former landlord of a Sholver pub after an inspection found the premises were "dirty."

Health officials found the pub's kitchen floor to be dirty throughout, with spillages not being cleared up. They also found old bits of food and grease around the kitchen wall.

The pub's equipment, sinks and taps were also found to be dirty, with old equipment being left in stagnant water. The fridge and freezer seals were engrained with dirt and shelving throughout the premises was greasy and stained. 

The fryer was coated in layers of grease and cigarette ends were found discarded in a bowl in the kitchen and on a window sill.

There was no soap or materials for hygienic hand drying available at the kitchen wash hand basin and there was no adequate provision for the storage and disposal of food waste.

The case was brought against Philip Elton after Environmental Health officers visited the Northgate, Sholver Lane, on November 12, 2015.
During their visit officers found

Elton pleaded guilty to breaching five food hygiene laws at Tameside Magistrates’ Court yesterday, February 1.

Elton, who no longer runs the pub, was fined a total of £1,600 and ordered to pay costs of £2,050 with a victim surcharge of £32.

After the first inspection on a follow-up visit by officers found standards had improved.

After a further unannounced inspection in April found the pub’s rating had increased from a 0 to a 3, which carries a ‘generally satisfactory’ rating. 

Councillor Barbara Brownridge, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Co-operatives, said: “Oldham Council takes matters like this very seriously and we are committed to ensuring there are no serious lapses in food hygiene in premises across the borough.

“Business owners who run establishments that serve food must comply with the law or be prepared to face prosecution.”

Members of the public can check food businesses current food hygiene ratings at http://ratings.food.gov.uk/