Former owner of Rogate pub fined after admitting food safety and hygiene offences

The former business owner of a pub in Rogate has been fined after pleading guilty to multiple food safety and hygiene offences.
By Sam Morton
Published 26th Feb 2020, 11:27 BST
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Andrew Standen, 53, was due to face a two-day trial this week, having previously pleaded not guilty to nine charges of contravening/failing to comply with EU provision concerning food safety and hygiene at the White Horse Public House in Rogate, Petersfield.

It was a case brought by Chichester District Council after a ‘reported sighting of rats at the premises’.

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However, Standen admitted the charges on Monday at Horsham Magistrates’ Court. A further three charges against the company, Standen Leisure Holdings Ltd — the previous owners of the Rogate pub – were also admitted.

JPCT 160413 S13160684x Horsham law county and magistrates courts -photo by Steve Cobb ENGSUS00120130416161149JPCT 160413 S13160684x Horsham law county and magistrates courts -photo by Steve Cobb ENGSUS00120130416161149
JPCT 160413 S13160684x Horsham law county and magistrates courts -photo by Steve Cobb ENGSUS00120130416161149

The district council said Standen and his company were sentenced to a fine for a total of £12,000 and ordered to pay £11,095 in costs after pleading guilty to a total of 12 offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 and under section 10 of the Food Safety Act 1990.

A spokesman said: “These offences took place between June 29, 2018 and January 7, 2019. The health protection team at Chichester District Council first visited the White Horse in 2018 in response to a reported sighting of rats at the premises.

“After eight visits and the failure to comply with three Food Hygiene Improvement Notices, the standards of hygiene were still unacceptable so the council prosecuted. Mr Standen is no longer involved with the White Horse pub.

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“This case sends a strong message that whilst we always try to work with food business operators to achieve improvement, we will take legal action if food safety standards are continually found to be unacceptable.”

The district council confirmed that nine other charges against Standen Leisure Holdings Ltd were dropped, but the three charges admitted on Monday related to ‘non-compliance with Hygiene Improvement Notices’. Five of the charges against Standen were dated October 3, 2018, while four were dated October 22, 2018, on the charge sheet.
These include the accusation that he failed to ensure food premises were kept clean and maintained in good repair and condition.

In October, the district council said the offences did not relate to the current business owners at the White Horse pub.