A PUB at the centre of salmonella outbreak that saw more than 30 people fall ill, including six who were hospitalised, has been hit with a £300 fine.

Philip Armstrong, who runs the Copper Beech, in Darlington, appeared before magistrates in the town on Wednesday (April 3).

Mr Armstrong had previously denied placing unsafe food on the market, arguing that he had taken all reasonable steps to prevent the outbreak, but changed his plea to guilty at the most recent hearing.

The charge, under environmental health legislation, relates to a period between June 2 and 19 last year, when diners at the pub, in Neasham Road, fell ill with salmonella food poisoning after eating there.

In mitigation, solicitors for Mr Armstrong said he was dressed for work when an environmental health officer from Darlington Borough Council visited the pub, but was not working at the time as he himself had begun to feel ill.

Reference was also made of the health problems the chef was suffering from at the time, which was identified as a possible cause of the outbreak, although this was not verified.

The percentage of diners that fell ill was very small compared to the number of people that had eaten at the pub during the period in question, the court was told.

References in support of Mr Armstrong’s management of the pub were also put forward, including testimonials from licensed trade training provider ABV training and senior managers from the pub’s owners, Punch Taverns.

The references spoke of the cleanliness of the premises and the good example set by Mr Armstrong, the court was told.

Magistrates heard that new kitchen equipment has been purchased, including a blast chiller.

As well as the fine, Mr Armstrong was also ordered to pay £1,500 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Giving reasons for the sentence, magistrates alluded to the revised hygiene procedures that are now in place, the fact that this appeared to be a one-off occurrence in an otherwise reputable establishment.

A council spokeswoman said: “We are pleased with the results of this case. Mr Armstrong has followed the advice we have given and put all the proposed new procedures in place.”

Mr Armstrong declined to comment when approached by The Northern Echo.

A Punch Taverns spokeswoman said: “As responsible operators, our licensees at the Copper Beech always endeavour to deliver a high quality experience to their customers.

"They have comprehensive health and safety processes in place to ensure that the highest standards are delivered.

"The issue was completely isolated and any issues were addressed immediately to ensure no further occurrences.

"The Copper Beech has always enjoyed a five star rating for its environmental health and worked closely with the Environmental Health Agency.

"Once again the team extend sincere apologies to individuals that were affected and would like to stress that it is not representative of their commitment to delivering great standards of service."