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Preserved Food.— There were 113 shops and other establishments on the register of premises approved
for the preparation or manufacture of preserved foods (sausages mainly) intended for sale ; 197
inspections were made and seven notices served.
Fried Fish Vendors and Fish Curers.—Nine premises are used by vendors of fried fish and one by a
fish curer. Twenty-six inspections of fried fish shops and eighteen inspections of the fish curer's
premises were made. One notice was served in respect of a fried fish shop.
Bakehouses.—Re-inspection of the fourteen basement bakehouses on the register was carried out in
accordance with the provisions of section 54 of the Factories Act, 1937, which require a local authority
to examine, every fifth year, all basement bakehouses for which a certificate of suitability has been
issued. As a result, three certificates were renewed after repairs and alterations had been carried out;
notice of termination of occupation was given in five cases where the bakehouse was found to be totally
unsuitable ; certificates were not renewed in respect of five bakehouses closed voluntarily ; and an
entry relating to a bakehouse which had not been used as such for a period exceeding twelve months
was removed from the register.
It will thus be noted that there are only three basement bakehouses left in St. Marylebone;
twenty-five years ago there were forty-nine ; fifty years ago the number was seventy-five. Among
the reasons for the gradual disappearance of the underground bakehouse is the fact that no new ones
have been permitted to be established since 1904 and, with the passage of time, costly structural
repairs have become necessary to maintain a satisfactory standard of hygiene. Rather than face this,
occupiers have preferred to discontinue baking and to obtain their bread and cakes from bakeries
outside the district.
During the year 170 inspections were made of bakehouses generally in the Borough, and service
of notice was necessary in four cases.
Restaurants, etc.—Premises in which meals are provided or food is sold already cooked or is prepared
for sale numbered 778, including 305 restaurants and snack bars, 53 hotels, 248 staff and club canteens,
117 public houses, 32 other licensed catering establishments, 15 school and nursery canteens, and
8 coffee stalls; 2,026 inspections were made and 83 notices served. During the year the kitchens
of 5 restaurants were completely reconstructed.
Legal proceedings were taken under section 13 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938, against four
caterers in respect of the dirty condition of premises used for the preparation and cooking of food
for sale to the public. A fine of £10 0s. Od. with £10 10s. Od. costs was imposed in one case, and
£5 0s. Od. with £3 3s. Od. costs in another. A third case was adjourned sine die on payment of costs,
and in the remaining case the summons was withdrawn after extensive work had been done.
Retail Food Shops.—The inspection of retail food shops continued and 1,754 visits were made to
premises used by grocers and provision merchants, butchers, fishmongers, greengrocers, bakers and
pastrycooks, and others selling food to the public for human consumption. The object of these
inspections is to ascertain whether the requirements of section 13 of the Food and Drugs Act, 1938,
are being complied with and to encourage a high standard in such matters as construction of premises,
fight and ventilation, storage arrangements, cleansing and redecoration, provision of sanitary
accommodation, and washing facilities with hot and cold water, towels, soap and nailbrush. The
co-operation of retailers generally has been secured and considerable improvement has taken place
in many shops as a result of the advice given. During the course of the inspections conditions
were found which necessitated the service of twenty-four informal notices.
Horseflesh.—Forty-six visits were paid to the only shop in the Borough selling horseflesh for human
food.
Slaughter of Animals.—The only slaughterhouse in the Borough is that at the Zoological Society's
premises in Regent's Park, where slaughtering is done occasionally to augment the food supply for
the animals in the menagerie. Nine inspections were made during the year.
Unsound Food.—No special examinations of stocks or consignments of food were necessary, but
in the ordinary course of their duties the inspectors condemned, as unfit for human consumption,
approximately 35 tons of food which included the following : meat and offal, 1 ton 14 cwts. 1 qtr.
12 lbs. ; bacon and ham, 7 tons 2 cwts. 1 qtr. 27 lbs. ; poultry and game, 3 cwts. 3 qtrs. 11 lbs.;
fish, 5 cwts. 3 qtrs. 16 lbs.; fruit and vegetables, 7 cwts. 2 qtrs. 11 lbs. ; canned meat, 3 tons 13 cwts.
27 lbs.; canned food (other than meat), 23,045 cans ; miscellaneous, 5 cwts. 3 qtrs. 24 lbs. Practically
the whole of this unsound food was removed by the Council and, wherever possible, salvaged and
used for animal feeding, the remainder being destroyed.