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B.P. = Business Premises. D.H. = Dwelling House.
HYGIENE IN CATERING ESTABLISHMENTS
(Report by the Medical Officer of Health—August.)
INTRODUCTORY
This Report was intended in the first place for submission to the
Council Committee primarily responsible—the Public Health Committee.
But, as it also concerned other Committees responsible for catering establishments
in the Borough, it was submitted finally to three Committees, viz.,
the Public Health Committee, the Baths and Public Offices Committee and
the Leyton Committee for Education.
COMMUNITY FEEDING AND ITS DANGERS
During and since the last World War there has taken place a radical
change in the food habits of the people of this country, to whom the eating
of meals away from home has now become the rule rather than the exception.
This changeover to community feeding has led inevitably to a great extension
of community catering in commercial restaurants and cafes, in industrial
and hospital canteens, and in municipal catering establishments such as
civic restaurants and school canteens.
To meet the increase in demand there was needed a great increase in
staff. Although many caterers are well-trained and alive to their responsibilities,
many have entered the catering trade because it is one of the few
ways still left to an untrained person to acquire a business of his own.
Without the necessary technical knowledge himself, he has to contend with
an acute shortage of experienced workers by employing casual labour, and