Catering company fined £5,000 for wedding party food poisoning

A South-West of England based catering company has been fined £5,000 after guests at a wedding party were badly hit by food poisoning.

Fosters Rooms of Bristol admitted breaches of food hygiene regulations during a hearing before Bristol magistrates.

The court heard that 42 out of the 54 guests at the wedding at Goldney Hall in Bristol last July had been hit by severe food poisoning.

An investigation by environmental health officers showed that food had not been cooked to a sufficiently high temperature causing Campylobacter symptoms to appear.

In mitigation, it was said that Fosters, which last year prepared 750,000 meals at 3,000 events around the South West, had been left shocked by the incident and had apologised unreservedly to the guests.

Passing sentence, District Judge Simon Cooper said: "This was truly an isolated incident but food must be cooked properly."

A further hearing will be held into the level of costs Fosters Rooms must pay. Bristol City Council has said it has spent more than £30,000 investigating the incident.

Council closes Indian restaurant after diner finds cockroach in meal >>

Greek restaurant fined for 'foul smell' in kitchen >>

Scores on the Doors set to become mandatory for restaurants >>

Public at risk from food poisioning due to EHO shortages >>

Not just down to EHOs' pay >>

By Andrew Smith

Get your copy of Caterer and Hotelkeeper every week - click here to subscribe and save 25%.