View report page

34
Fried Fish Shops.
The fried fish shops in the Borough are regularly inspected to see that they are
kept in conformity with the By-laws made by the London County Council. Two
hundred and twenty six inspections of such premises were made last year. At the
same time a careful look-out is kept on the soundness of the fish and the wholesomeness
of the materials used in frying.
Sale of Fish.
In addition to the fried fish shops referred to in the previous paragraph, fish
is sold in the Borough at five fish shops and eight stalls. There are also two shops
where shellfish is sold and one where stewed eels are sold. All these shops and
stalls were regularly inspected during the past year.
In four of the five fish shops the fish was exposed for sale on stallboards
extending beyond the front line of the shop, but in all these cases the fish was
protected by sun blinds and side screens. In one case the shop, particularly the
floor, was found in a dirty condition and the boxes containing the fish, prior to
unpacking, were stored on the pavement in positions where it was possible for the
fish to be fouled by passing dogs. The attention of the proprietor was called to the
matter and steps were taken by him to improve the conditions; the shop is nou
swept every day and the floor washed at least once every week, the boxes with
the fish are no longer put on to the pavement. In no other case was there any
evidence of contamination of the fish by flies, dust, soot, etc.
Three of the eight stalls where fish is regularly sold are in the Central Markets
and are almost in the nature of shops. At seven of the stalls both fresh and dried
fish was sold and at one fresh fish only. On four of the stalls the fish was protected
by tarpaulin or canvas covers or screens over the top and at the sides and back,
but in four no such protection was provided. In three of the stalls in the Central
Markets water supply is laid on to the slabs on which fish is exposed for sale.
Market Streets.
There were 791 inspections of market streets, each of which includes a number of
stalls at which meat, fish, fruit and vegetables are sold. These streets are regularly
inspected daily and on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings.
The daily inspection of these market streets helps to secure the maintenance
by the regular stallholders of good, sound food only, and, in addition, has the effect
of keeping away from these markets casual and unsatisfactory hawkers, who
generally avoid markets subject to regular and strict supervision.
In order to minimise as far as practicable any contamination of the food
exposed for sale in market streets from dust arising during street cleansing, the
Borough Surveyor has arranged for these streets to be sufficiently watered before
the scavenging to prevent dust arising.