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Premises used for Food Preparation.
The Public Health (London) Act, 1936, in section 187, gives powers to the Borough
Council to register all premises used for the sale or the manufacture for the purpose
of sale of ice cream or other similar commodity intended for sale or for the preparation
or manufacture of sausages or potted, pressed, pickled or preserved meat, fish
or other food intended for sale, and the Council have authorised the Public Health
Committee to administer the powers given under the Act. At the end of 1937,
99 premises were registered for the preparation or manufacture of foods (other
than ice cream) intended for sale, and 230 inspections were made by the Food
Inspector.
Ice Cream Premises.
These are also required to be registered under Section 187 of the Public Health
(London) Act, 1936. The actual number of premises included in the register at
the end of 1937 was 105, 5 more than in 1936. Throughout 1937, 125 inspections
were made, and in 7 cases notices were served in respect of uncleanly conditions.
Butter, Margarine, etc., Premises.
At the end of the year there were on the register 16 dealers in margarine, 1
wholesale dealer in milk-blended butter and 2 butter manufacturers. Fifty-eight
visits were paid to the registered premises during 1937.
Bakehouses.
At the end of 1937 the number of bakehouses on the register was 57, 45 being
underground bakehouses. The provisions with regard to registration are contained
in the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901, and so far as underground premises are
concerned, only premises used prior to the passing of the Act were eligible for
registration, which was to be completed before 1904. All the underground bakehouses
now in use were registered at that time. Premises underground are rarely
satisfactory, but as there was no time limit fixed and the Act contains no requirement
as to application for renewal, all that can be done is to exercise a close supervision
in order to see that the places are kept in as good condition as possible.
During the year 110 visits were paid and 2 notices with regard to defects were served.
In accordance with the requirements of the Factory and Workshop Act, 1901,
notices calling for the limewashing, etc., of the inside walls and other parts of the
bakehouses were issued.
Fried Fish Vendors and Fish Curers.
The number of premises in the Borough used by vendors of fried fish is 20 and
by fish curers 3. Notices calling for periodical lime-washing, etc., of such premises,
as required by the bye-laws of the London County Council, were issued quarterly,
and during the year 54 inspections of fried fish shops and 30 inspections of fish
curers' premises were made by the Food Inspector. In the case of the fried fish
shops, 2 notices were served and complied with.
Restaurants, Tea-rooms, etc.
For a variety of reasons the number of premises in the Borough in which meals
are provided or food is sold already cooked or is prepared for sale is very large.
At the end of 1937 there were 386, this number including restaurant, dining room
and coffee shop kitchens, 216 ; tea-rooms and pastry-cookshops, 113 ; hotel kitchens,
34 ; fried fish shops, 20 ; and fish-curers, 3. As already explained legal provision
has now been made for registration of premises in which ice cream is prepared or
sold and certain articles of food are manufactured or prepared. At present the
requirement does not apply to cook-shops or cooked-food shops, but in time the
difficulties with which the procedure is supposed to be surrounded in the case of such
establishments may be met. As a matter of routine, a number of restaurants, food
premises, etc., are visited each week by the food inspector, and any matters discovered
at these inspections are dealt with at once. In 1937, the total number of
inspections was 442, the number of notices served being 12.