Stirling Hotel faces big fines
The award winning Stirling Hotel in the Adelaide Hills is facing substantial fines for food hygiene breaches.
The Stirling, which has received many Australian Hotel Association awards, had challenged the $2500 fine for some of the breaches.
Following a plea bargain with the Adelaide Hills Council, it pleaded guilty to 11 violations of food hygiene laws. As part of the plea arrangements, the council dropped 43 charges against the pub earlier this month.
The charges came after inspections in March, June and October last year.
The breaches include a staple found in grated cheese, uncovered bread on a freezer floor and excess food waste, dirt, grease and other material found around preparation areas. These included pizza making benches and storage tubs.
Adelaide Magistrates Court heard the Stirling admitted its handwashing facilities were ill-equipped and that the sink splashback areas were mouldy. It also conceded to the claims of “dirty tea towels” found on chopping boards.
The court was told that the council officers slapped on the extra charges after the pub exercised its right to dispute the $2500 fine before a magistrate.
As a result, the hotel now faces a maximum $10,000 fine for each offence.
During the hearing, prosecutors urged Magistrate Sue O’Connor to go in hard and record a conviction and fine the pub at least $30,000. That would be on top of the thousands of dollars in costs.
However, Ms O’Connor indicated she was unlikely to do that.
“Just because they made the practically foolish decision to expose themselves, does not mean I have to sink the boot in further,” she said.
Defence lawyer Ian Colgrave reminded the court that a council inspection report had found that the pub did not “pose a serious danger to public safety and is fit for purpose”.
The case has been adjourned until September.
by Leon Gettler, June 28th 2016
