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premises where any retail trade or business is carried on, any wholesale shop and
any warehouse kept for the purposes of trade by any person carrying on any retail
trade or business, or by any wholesale dealer or merchant. This definition was
extended by the Shops Act, 1936, to include the business of lending books or periodicals
when carried on for purposes of gain. The Council have delegated all their powers,
except the appointment of inspectors, to the Health Committee. The provisions,
with the enforcement of which this Council are charged, are those which deal with
ventilation, heating, and the provision of sanitary conveniences, and the Medical
Officer of Health and all the Sanitary Inspectors have been appointed inspectors
for this purpose.
The Health Committee of the Council decided in 1936 that they would require
separate conveniences for each sex in those shops where members of both sexes were
employed if the number of employees exceeded four. If the number was four or less
one sanitary convenience was to be regarded as suitable and sufficient provided that
the door of such convenience was fixed with an appropriate lock or fastener on the
internal side, and with an automatic indicator showing on the external side of the
door whether the apartment was engaged or vacant. This arrangement has proved
satisfactory in operation.
The number of Exemption Certificates issued in cases of shops where, owing to
restricted accommodation or other special circumstances a sanitary convenience
could not be provided on the premises, was 5. In every case the alternative accommodation
has been within 100 yards of the shop. Heating has been insisted upon in
all closed shops, but the heating of wet fish, butchers' and open-fronted shops has
been confined to cash desks and back rooms where existing. In the case of all
closed shops means of ventilation other than the shop door has been insisted upon,
and this has been met in the majority of cases by a movable fanlight over the door.
The number of inspections made during the year was 1,468, and 45 notices for
offences under the Act were served. Sanitary accommodation was made suitable
and sufficient in 45 cases, and suitable means of heating was provided in 6 cases.
Suitable means of ventilation was provided in 11 cases.
Smoke Abatement.—During the year 18 smoke observations were made on
factory chimneys in the Borough. In 3 cases offences were committed and one
notice was served. In each case the nuisance was abated forthwith and no further
action was taken.
Public Baths and Washhouses.—There are three bathing establishments in
the Borough, one at Plumstead, one at Woolwich, and a small one at North Woolwich.
At Plumstead there is a First Class Swimming Bath (capacity 120,000 gallons); a
Second Class Swimming Bath (capacity 80,000 gallons); 64 Slipper Baths, and a
separate building for Turkish and Russian Vapour Baths. There is also a Public
Washhouse. At Woolwich there is a First Class Swimming Bath (capacity 120,000
gallons); a Second Class Swimming Bath (capacity 90,000 gallons); and 60 Slipper
Baths. At North Woolwich there are 22 Slipper Baths.