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48
comply with legislation or the foods withdrawn from sale,
The Public Health Committee again considered the problem of
(1) prohibiting dogs in food shops; (2) the unsatisfactory display of
"open food" in places likely to lead to its contamination; and (3) the
encouragement of the use by food traders in premises having no rear
or side entrances of the "paper sack" system of refuse collection,
The following letter, signed personally by the Chairman of
the Public Health Committee, Mr. Councillor Geoffrey Finsberg,
M. B, E. , J. P, was sent to over 500 local shopkeepers: -
"The Hampstead Borough Council is anxious to ensure
that the conditions under which food is displayed and sold in
shops are of the highest possible standard.
In Hampstead, the shopkeepers themselves generally
keep to a very high standard which is not always followed by
the general public who are their customers and I am making
this personal appeal to you to ask for your cooperation in
inviting the public to follow the example which you yourself
set.
There are two major ways in which you can help: -
1. - SMOKING. It is already an offence for a food handler to
smoke in any food room where there is open food or whilst
handling open food and although this is of somewhat less
consequence in a customer who should not normally handle
any food intended for other people, it is nevertheless most
undesirable and I should appreciate if it you would display
a notice asking customers to refrain from smoking whilst
in the shop.
A suggested notice is enclosed and I would
also suggest that an ash-tray or sand-bin might be provided
under the notice where cigarette ends can be disposed of
safely if customers are already smoking when they enter
the shop.
2. - DOGS, It is most undesirable that dogs or indeed any animals
should be allowed to come in contact with any food intended