The owner of a popular riverside pub and restaurant faces a ban from managing his own food business and has been ordered to pay more than £3,000 after inspectors found a host of hygiene breaches.
A snap inspection of the Ferry Inn at Horning on July 21 last year found:
•The kitchen floor was dirty
•A kitchen worker was seen to touch a door handle after handling raw chicken
•Protective gloves were not changed between raw meat preparation and touching surfaces and food.
The breaches were revealed at Norwich Magistrates' Court by Cara Jordan, prosecuting on behalf of North Norfolk District Council.
MORE: Popular Ferry Inn at Horning reopening after mysterious Christmas closure
Ms Jordan told the court The Ferry Inn and its owner Ian Chinn had been warned by the council about the need to improve hygiene and food safety.
But she said when health inspectors visited they found the breaches and also found turkey meat on the carvery that was slightly pink and required further cooking, along with a lack of proper monitoring procedure in the kitchen.
Ms Jordan said: 'There were ineffective monitoring procedures and officers had concerns about the cleanliness of the premises.'
She said when inspectors revisited in October last year it was greatly improved and another unannounced visit this week showed it would now achieve a 'four star rating'.
Chinn, 55, from King Street, Great Yarmouth, admitted failing to comply with a hygiene improvement notice and failing to comply with EU hygiene regulations and was fined £800 and ordered to pay £2,220 costs.
He was also made subject to a Hygiene Prohibition Order which means he will be banned until further notice from the management of any food business. But he immediately lodged an appeal which will be heard at Norwich Crown Court.
David Foulkes, for Chinn, said when he took over the business six years ago the building had been standing empty and needed alot of work.
However Chinn had worked hard to put right any problems, but was let down by staff he had at the time.
He said new staff in place had brought about a significant improvement and at no stage had there been any complaints from the public.
'At no stage has there been any reports of any illness by customers that have consumed food there.'
He said the business provided work for the local community and said making Chinn subject to a prohibition order would affect his livelihood and would be 'heavy-handed'.
He said the premises had also suffered flooding at Christmas and this had cost Chinn £15,000.
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