A NORTH Yorkshire hotel boss has been been fined £1,500 after an environmental health officer found its kitchen in a filthy state.

Victor Robertshaw, owner of Brentwood Hotel on New Queen Street, Scarborough admitted four food hygiene offences when he appeared before magistrates in the town.

Scarborough Borough Council brought the case against Robertshaw after an inspection was made earlier this year prompted by a complaint from a member of the public.

The council’s environmental health officer found the standard of cleanliness unacceptable for a commercial kitchen and there was no food safety management system in place.

Its floor and underneath the sink unit were in a filthy condition, while the entire cooking range was very dirty with accumulations of carbon, grease, fat and food debris.

The fridges were dirty and heavily contaminated with accumulations of old food and mould. The officer also found containers of mouldy beans in the fridge designated for hotel guests.

Scarborough Borough Council director Trevor Watson said: “This was a particularly dirty case for our environmental health team; the serious offences were a clear breach of food hygiene legislation.

"In particular, having mouldy food on the premises, which is unfit for human consumption, is completely unacceptable.

“High standards of cleanliness and a comprehensive food safety management system are essential for any food business.

"To protect the public we will always take action against those that do not comply with these requirements.”

Robertshaw admitted failing to keep his premises clean, failing to keep all articles, fittings and equipment with which food comes into contact were kept clean, failing to implement a food safety management system and placing food on the market that was unsafe.

He was fined a total of £1,500 including criminal court charges, a victim surcharge and costs.