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OBSERVATIONS ON CATERING ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE CITY
When considering a year's work in connection with all types of catering establishments undoubtedly
there is, at first glance, apparently little difference between the problems and results
of one year with those of another. On the other hand catering is similar to many industries. It
is not static and it must either progress or deteriorate. At the present time it cannot be contended
that progress is being made in the direction of hygiene, the direction from which perforce
a local authority must view catering. This observation is not intended to be a condemnation of
the whole catering industry, as the people engaged in this trade are themselves only too well
aware of the many pressures which militate against them in present circumstances and prevent
their achieving optimum standards.
The City of London does present an almost intractable problem so far as the caterer is concerned.
In so far as he can work normal hours for five days a week it is attractive, but his time
of actual trading is confined to approximately fifteen hours each week and with the present low
price structure it would appear that many restaurants are no longer a viable financial proposition.
This is borne out by the fact that some catering firms which are household' names have, during
the past year, voluntarily given up their premises in the "square mile" owing to adverse trading
and difficulties associated with staff.
It may be questioned why difficulties of trading and finance should concern Public Health
Officials especially when statutory powers are available to deal with most contingencies. This
may be answered by the assumption which might even be an axiom that when a food business
begins to falter the first thing that flies out of the door is hygiene. Commodity prices are not
easily cut, the standard charges for rent, rates and fuel are unassailaole and the easiest way
for caterers to reduce costs and so solve some of the economics of the situation is to dispense
with staff, that is, of course, if they are ever fully staffed in these difficult days. Apart from
such circumstances one wonders at times whether the types of employee available are really
suited to the work they are expected to carry out. While work such as routine cleaning and washing
up is considered to be a simple task, the layout, design and adaptation of some kitchens is
so poor as to make these operations unnecessarily difficult.
Poor layout and the use of inherently unsuitable premises account for many of the obstacles
facing the small caterer and in some instances can be the snare in which the enthusiastic but
unwary become enmeshed.
It is in such circumstances that powers for registration and prior approval would be advantageous
to all concerned. Most emphatically this is not presuming the right to tell a man he must
not be in business but it is justifiable to indicate that some premises and the amenities available
are basically unsuitable for catering. There are other facets of the food industry where the use
of such powers is notconsidered unreasonable and it is illogical to contend that identical arrangements
for prior approval cannot be extended to all premises which are intended to be used for
catering purposes.
As a result of the extensive building operations which have been taking place in the City
during recent years, problems have arisen concerning the catering arrangements provided on major
building sites. Obviously whatever arrangements are made must be of a temporary nature, often
in prefabricated structures where the standard of construction is often below the minimum standards
found in normal catering premises. It cannot be gainsaid that as opposed to normal restaurants
a considerable amount of dirt and debris are inevitably deposited in the eating areas of these
canteens. This presents con siderable cleaning difficulties, although in many instances the building
contractors have made quite reasonable arrangements so far as kitchens are concerned.
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