Latest news with #pubchain
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pub fined after boy's allergic reaction to sausage
A pub chain has been fined almost £27,000 after a young boy had an allergic reaction to a sausage. St Albans Magistrates Court heard that the mother of the boy, from Welwyn Garden City, had been assured twice that the sausage did not contain wheat. The Rusty Gun, in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, later confirmed that there was wheat in the food and offered the boy's parents a free meal as an apology. The owners, Innventure, said those who had "let this young man down" had been dismissed or had resigned. The boy, called Ralph, was nine years old at the time and went for a birthday meal at the Rusty Gun in Hitchin, Hertfordshire, with his parents, Lauren and James, in August 2023. The court was told that Lauren asked the pub staff on two occasions whether the sausage chosen by her son contained wheat. Waiting staff checked with the chefs in the kitchen and told Lauren the recipe did not contain wheat. Ralph began to feel unwell after eating just a quarter of the sausage. Back at home, parts of Ralph's body began to swell; he had red hives all over him and had difficulty breathing. He was given steroids and adrenaline at the local hospital before being transferred to Lister Hospital in Stevenage. Lauren said: "It's every parent's worst nightmare watching their child struggle to breathe, and I was thinking the worst. "I will always have a lasting memory of Ralph asking me if he was going to die that night." She said she called the Rusty Gun and asked whether they were sure the sausage contained no wheat. "I was then told 'we made a mistake' and - can you believe it? - I was offered a free meal!" Hertfordshire Trading Standards investigated the incident and charged the pub's owners, Innventure, with two offences under food safety legislation. Innventure pleaded guilty at St Albans Magistrates Court on 6 May and was ordered to pay a total of £26,802.76 in fines and costs. Ralph was awarded £1,000 in compensation. A spokesperson for Innventure said: "Those that let the company and this young man down in August 2023 have been dismissed or have resigned. "We have undertaken a comprehensive review of the allergens processes and procedures operated by the business. New and improved systems are in place to ensure that this never happens again. "We offer and have offered our sincerest apologies to the young man in question." Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBE, from the Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, said: "We would urge anyone working with food to take food allergies seriously so that all people can eat out safely." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Call for change at first food allergy conference BBC presenter taken off flight over child's allergy Peanut allergy warning over dips and sandwiches Natasha Allergy Research Foundation Hertfordshire Trading Standards Innventure
The Independent
07-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
Wetherspoons plans to open even more pubs after toasting sunny weather
JD Wetherspoon forecasts a "reasonable" full-year outcome despite rising staff costs, boosted by recent sales figures attributed to favourable weather conditions. The pub chain, operating 795 locations across the UK, reported a 5.6 per cent increase in like-for-like sales during the 13 weeks leading up to April 27th. Year-to-date, comparable sales have risen by 5.1 per cent. It now plans to open up in new sites. Chairman Tim Martin acknowledged the impact of good weather on recent trading, but expressed optimism for the financial year's results. He said: 'Bearing in mind that recent trading has been helped by favourable weather, the company anticipates a reasonable outcome for the financial year, notwithstanding previously reported wage and tax increases of approximately £1.2 million per week.' According to The Sun the company is planning pubs in six new locations. These are: Douglas, Isle of Man - May 14 Fulham, SW London - June 17 Kenilworth, Warwickshire - July 30 Tooley Street, London Bridge - August 28 Basildon, Essex - September 23 Merchant Square, Paddington - late summer This follows earlier warnings from the group regarding a £60 million surge in labour costs from April onwards, due to increases in both employers' national insurance contributions and the minimum wage. Mr Martin has cautioned over the impact of the surging wage bill and in January called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to cut pub food taxes before the jump in costs linked to last October's Budget. Wetherspoon said total sales in its most recent quarter were up by a more muted 5 per cent and by 4 per cent year to date as it sold off seven venues. Mr Martin said the group was also investing in new staff facilities across 520 pubs, with 49 in the current financial year, including new staff rooms and changing rooms at a cost of around £100,000 per site. He added the chain was trialling a new gourmet burger deal, which he said has 'proved extremely popular'.
