A LANDLORD who closed his pub after he was fined �1000 for breaking hygiene regulations has said he will reopen the business at the end of the month. Tenant at the Rose and Crown in Thaxted, Nicholas Marchetto, pleaded guilty to 23 separate offences at Ha

A LANDLORD who closed his pub after he was fined �1000 for breaking hygiene regulations has said he will reopen the business at the end of the month.

Tenant at the Rose and Crown in Thaxted, Nicholas Marchetto, pleaded guilty to 23 separate offences at Harlow Magistrates' Court on Tuesday (March 10).

Head of environmental health at Uttlesford District Council (UDC) Geoff Smith said: "The conditions found during the inspection of the Rose and Crown, were totally unacceptable in a food business.

"The conditions demonstrated a complete breakdown of any food hygiene management controls and a disregard for consumer safety when food continued to be prepared in the conditions found.

"The large quantity of food unfit for human consumption on the premises had placed public health at risk."

UDC environmental health officers arrived unannounced at the premises on December 9 and found Mr Marchetto in the process of preparing food for consumption by customers.

The kitchen and equipment were in such a bad condition that the officers considered ordering the immediate closure of the kitchen, but Mr Marchetto volunteered to close it himself.

Among the detritus discovered were 190 items of mouldy, slimy, putrescent or expired foodstuffs, which were surrendered by Marchetto and removed by the council. Officers also found that there was no running hot water in the kitchen, preventing the proper cleaning of hands or equipment and constituting a fundamental violation of food hygiene regulations.

As well as being fined �1000, Mr Marchetto was also ordered to pay �1000 towards the council's costs and a �15 victim charge.

The kitchen remains closed but Mr Marchetto said "things have been put right" and is hoping to have the pub up and running by the end of the month.

Twelve of the offences were under the General Food Regulations 2004; seven under the Food Hygiene Regulations 2006 and four under the Food Labelling Regulations 1996.

"Where offences of such magnitude are identified, this authority will not hesitate to take legal proceedings to secure compliance and ensure the safety of the consumer," said Mr Smith.