A PUB landlord has been ordered to pay more than £1,600 in fines and costs after serving food containing egg to a customer ordering an egg free meal.

Timothy Earley, who runs The Fox Eating and Drinking House, West Hoathly, pleaded guilty to food safety charges at Worthing Magistrates Court on October 11. He was fined £307 and made to pay costs of £1,360.76 as well as a victim surcharge of £30.

Following a complaint to West Sussex Trading Standards in 2018 from a customer who found a bone in a vegetarian meal, Trading Standards officers visited the premises and found there was insufficient information about what allergens meals contained.

The pub was also displaying a five star hygiene rating when they only had two stars at the time.

Trading Standards sent a warning letter to Mr Earley highlighting his legal responsibilities as a food business operator.

In January 2019 officers carried out a follow up visit. One posed as a customer and ordered an egg-free burger meal which, when sent for analysis, was found to contain egg.

This could have caused a severe reaction to an egg allergy sufferer. As a result of this incident, Trading Standards brought charges against Mr Earley for selling unsafe food.

Peter Aston, Trading Standards Team Manager, said: “The consequences of poor allergen control can be incredibly serious. Even though no members of the public were harmed by eating at The Fox Eating and Drinking House, someone with a severe food allergy could potentially have died.”