View report page

46
Sanitary Accommodation for Customers at Restaurants. etc.
The question arises from time to time of the necessity for the provision in
restaurants of sanitary accommodation for customers of both sexes. Many of the
larger and better equipped restaurants provide suitable accommodation, a much
appreciated boon, particularly in Central London, where such restaurants are
largely used by strangers to the Metropolis. There is something to be said in
favour of such provision being required in all restaurants, or at least in all the
larger establishments, although everyone recognises that in crowded areas where
space is valuable it is not always easy to spare the superficial area. At
times the nearness of public sanitary conveniences renders provision in a
restaurant less imperative. Under various local Acts relating to provincial towns
sanitary accommodation must be provided for customers.
During the year while a large restaurant in the Borough was being remodelled
the proprietors, at our instance, took the opportunity to include the provision of
sanitary accommodation for customers. Tn another case where the female staff
complained that the W.C. provided for them was used by male customers, the
proprietors provided accommodation for customers.

Food Poisoning.
About the middle of the year 1928 a number of references appeared in the public press
to cases of illness in central London thought to be due to food poisoning. In some cases the
residences of the persons affected were closely adjacent to the Borough. In July information
was received of some suspicious illness at a hostel in the Borough. On enquiry it was
found that about two weeks previous to the receipt of the information three or four residents
at the hostel had been ill, the symptoms giving rise to a suspicion of slight food poisoning.
The information was received very late, too late to enable specimens to be taken of f;cces
or blood, or for samples of any suspected food to be examined. When the information was