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Butter and Margarine Premises.—Three dealers in margarine and two butter manufacturers are on
the register. Seventy-one inspections of the premises were made.
Ice-Cream.—The number of premises on the register was 214, which includes three where ice-cream
is manufactured ; 195 inspections were made.
Preserved Food.—There were 115 shops and other establishments on the register of premises approved
for the preparation or manufacture of preserved foods (sausages mainly) intended for sale ; 312
inspections were made and one notice served.
Fried Fish Vendors and Fish Curers.—Eleven premises are used by vendors of fried fish and one by a
fish curer. Twenty-six inspections of fried fish shops and twenty inspections of the fish curer's premises
were made. Two notices were served in respect of fried fish shops.
Bakehouses.—There are now only three basement bakehouses left in St. Marylebone. Twenty-five
years ago there were forty-nine, and fifty years ago seventy-five. Among the reasons for their gradual
disappearance is that since 1904 no new ones have been permitted 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, 147 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 817, including 324 restaurants and snack bars, 48 hotels, 266 staff and club canteens,
118 public houses, 29 other licensed catering establishments, 15 school and nursery canteens, and 6
coffee stalls; 2,723 inspections were made and 40 notices served.
For selling as "hot milk" milk containing added water, summonses were issued against nine restaurant
proprietors. One defendant who pleaded guilty was discharged absolutely on payment of twentyfive
guineas costs, the magistrate saying he accepted the company's explanation of how the offence
came to be committed. Others were fined respectively £3 0s. 0d., £2 0s. 0d. and two guineas costs,
£1 0s. Od. and three guineas costs and a fifth who pleaded guilty was discharged absolutely on payment
of one guinea costs. One defendant was, in addition, fined £3 0s. 0d. for wilful obstruction of the
sampling officer. The remainder were discharged absolutely without fines being imposed or costs
awarded to the Council.
For selling horseflesh as beefsteak a restaurant proprietor, who was also amongst those mentioned
above charged with selling " hot milk " containing added water, was fined £5 with five guineas costs.
Retail Food Shops.—The inspection of retail food shops continued and 2,526 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,
light 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 twelve informal notices.
Horseflesh.—Ten visits were paid to the only shop in the Borough selling horseflesh for human
food. For selling horseflesh as beefsteak, the proprietor of a restaurant was prosecuted and fined.
(See item under Restaurants, etc., above).
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. Eight 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 46 tons of food which included the following : meat and offal, 2 tons 11 cwts. 1 qtr.
10 lbs.; bacon and ham, 8 tons 5 cwts. 1 qtr. 27 lbs.; poultry and game, 4 cwts. 3 qtrs. 9 lbs.;
fish, 2 cwts. 3 qtrs. 12 lbs.; fruit and vegetables, 4 cwts. 2 qtrs. 4 lbs.; canned meat, 5 tons 7 cwts.
3 qtrs.; canned food (other than meat), 25,331 cans; miscellaneous, 1 cwt. 3 qtrs. 27 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.