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66
The Committee was, however, handicapped because in the absence of any obligation
for the registratim of restaurants, cafes or other places where food may be consumed
on the premises, the Department may learn of the existence of such an establishment
only after it has been open for some time
It was considered that these premises should be registered with the local
authority and that the names of the proprietors should be included in the registration
It was not considered that there was anything inherently difficult about such
registration: indeed, on the 31st March, 1962, 1,923 cafes and restaurants had
voluntarily registered themselves with the London County Council within the whole of
the London area to obtain refreshment house licences which would enable them to keep
open between the hours of 10 p m. and 5 a.m.
The Council stated that it was not prepared to tolerate a minority of dirty and
unhygienic cafes, restaurants or food premises and the strongest measures will be
taken to see that they are brought up to the standard required by the Food Hygiene
(General) Regulations.
The Council asked the Metropolitan Boroughs" Standing Joint Cbmmittee to consider
the submission of representations to the Ministers af Health and Agriculture, Fisheries
and Pood jointly with a view to legislation being promoted to effect the registration
of such food premises. This was done and the Metropolitan Boroughs' Standing Joint
Committee submitted a recommendation to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and
Pood accordingly.
The Public Analyst requested co-operation in extending the sampling and analysing
of drugs under the Fbod and Drugs Act 1955 in order to keep pace with modern development
in medicine This was agreed upon and appropriate arrangements were made
Many immigrants coming into the Borough are engaged in food preparation and
handling. The language difficulty is real and constant supervision is necessary The
education of such food handlers is a slow and tedious business
A letter with an explanatory booklet was sent to all food traders in the Borough,
This was followed up by a series of inspecti Where improvements in the standard of hygiene have been achieved, this is seldom
maintained unless the Inspector is able to devote the necessary time to secure
satisfactory follow-up,
An example of the attitude of some towards the standard expected in this country
arose when a complaint was received that soft drinks were being manufactured in a
private house. Investigations showed that in a house occupied by immigrants, one
tenant was, in fact, producing a cordial on a commercial scale The mixture was being
boiled on the domestic gas stove on the landing in 4 gallon cans which had originally
contained liquid detergent After boiling, the cordial was taken into the small
kitchen (used by the whole family) and filtered through muslin into an empty 50 gallon
oil drum from which it was ladled as required by means of a jug into a galvanized
dustbin set up on the kitchen table, A brass tap had been fixed in the side of the
dustbin which was used to draw off the cordial through a plastic funnel into bottles
filled individually by hand, Samples of the materials which were used in the manufacture
of the cordials were taken and the report'of the Public Analyst indicated that some of
the colouring matters used were included in the prohibited list. These colouring matters
were obtained privately from Jamaica The producer of the cordial was co-operative and