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FOOD HYGIENE - SMITHFIELD MARKET
The Food Hygiene (General) Regulations, I960
Around Smithfield, in Leadenhall Market and in the City including Billingsgate area there
are 32 businesses dealing in meat, poultry and game which are subjected to regular routine visits
by the Meat Inspectors,
Number of Premises 32
Number of premises fitted to comply with Regulation 1632
Number of premises to which Regulation 19 applies 31
Number of premises fitted to comply with Regulation 19 30
The Food Hygiene (Markets, Stalls & Delivery) Vehicles Regulations, 1966
These Regulations are enforced in Smithfield Market which at the 31st December 1970 comprised
of 331 stalls occupied by 11 I tenants.
Each business is equipped with washing facilities required by Regulations 16 and 18 of
these Regulations.
Co-operative efforts to improve hygiene by all concerned were noticably rewarding, but
problems inherent in old market buiIdings, which are also public,remain to be overcome.
Continuous changes make any estimation of numbers of manual workers engaged in the
market unreliable, there are however 388 porters licensed by the Clerk and Superintendent who
are self employed or employed by meat firms and meat carriers.
A good standard of cleanliness of vehicles has been maintained both by the market carrier
companies and private butchers and any structural defects have been carried out promptly.
There is still an ever increasing number of vehicles used by cafeand small restaurant owners
for transporting their own meat which do not conform to the Hygiene Regulations. The cleanliness
of these vehicles is often below desirable standards. Where these are observed attention
is given to educate the owner in the requirements of the Regulations, and the help of Local
Authorities is sought to ensure that vehicles are clean and hygienic on their next visit to the
market.
The supply of clean protective clothing is becoming more difficult. During the year the only
laundry, hire and repair service firm has shut its collection Depot in the market and only account
customers are now served by delivery and collection vehicles to firms on the market. This has
deprived the self employed porters and pitchers of laundry facilities which in the past had proved
very successful and there appears to be no laundry prepared to take over this service.
The Food Hygiene (Docks, Carriers, etc.) Regulations, I960
One large riverside cold store at Blackfriars was closed down. There are now 4 Public Cold
Stores where meat deliveries are handled and where these Regulations are enforced.
Check inspection for caseous lymphadenitis of samples from 40 consignments of frozen
mutton carcases in these cold stores were made during the year.
DISEASES OF ANIMALS ACT 1950 & ASSOCIATED ACTS
Mr. G.S. Wiggins, M.R.C.V.S., Veterinary Officer for the City of London, has submitted the
following report:-
"Under the terms of the London Government Act 1963, the Corporation of London is the
authority for the administration of the Diseases of Animals Act 1950, in regard to the importation
of animals, for the whole of Greater London. The remainder of the functions under the Diseases
of Animals Act and Associated Acts are the responisbility of the individual London Boroughs,
but the Corporation carries out duties for 17 London Boroughs on an agency basis. 1970 was the
fifth year in which agency arrangements were in operation and visits of inspection were made to
various premises including riding establishments, animal boarding establishments, pet shops,
kosher and other butchers and poulterers, slaughterhouses, farms, piggeries, theatres, circuses,
poultry and cattle shows, research laboratories etc. The total number of premises which the
Corporation undertook to visit was 741 and 2084 visits of inspection were carried out.
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