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Food Hygiene
There are numerous food preparing premises within the airport complex, including high-class
restaurants, aircraft catering establishments, snack bars, grill and griddle restaurant and industrial
and non-industrial canteens. Each of these establishments compete for roughly the same type of
labour and from time to time their difficulties in recruitment are reflected in deteriorating standards
of hygiene.
In addition, maintenance of all the premises is difficult because of the extended working
hours of the establishments—many of them work the full 24 hours daily throughout the year.
Regular inspection of all the food handling premises is carried out and it must be stated
that full co-operation in improving the standard of hygiene is received from all the operators who
are anxious to meet the standards. Unfortunately, the responsibility for cleaning is divided in many
of the establishments between the occupier and the British Airports Authority, and all structural
matters are the responsibility of that Authority. As with all large undertakings when expenditure
is planned it is difficult to effect the completion of emergency works notwithstanding their urgent
nature from the food hygiene point of view. Nevertheless, by consistent pressure it has been possible
to secure improvements in a relatively short time, but it is important that works in food premises
to comply with the Food Hygiene Regulation should receive much more urgent attention.

Fixed tanks are fitted to modern aircraft and portable flasks are used for supplying drinking
water to the older types as well as supplying iced water to many foreign airlines. Although sterilization
is practised between each filling the water in them is frequently unsatisfactory particularly
in the peak holiday season.
Vermin Control
It has been possible during the year because of the improved staff situation (infestation
control staff) to carry out more detailed surveys throughout the airport, both land and buildings,
and these have revealed levels of infestation which were previously unsuspected. Although both
the British Airports Authority and the occupiers of the various establishments employ contractors
for rodent and vermin control large infestations of rats and cockroaches have been found. In
addition the presence of crickets was found in one of the tunnels.
The rodent infestation was found on land and is now under treatment. The cockroach situation
was extremely bad and it was necessary to insist on control measures throughout the airport in
order to deal with the situation. There is no doubt that this is the major vermin problem on the
airport and to achieve control it is necessary to maintain continuous treatment.
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