Iconic Normanby Hotel fined over cockroach infestation that took seven council inspections before being resolved

ONE OF Brisbane’s most popular hotels and a director have been fined $30,000 over cockroaches found in a customer’s mushroom sauce and in the pub’s kitchen.

A woman who was having a meal with friends at the Normanby Hotel in September 2014 found a cockroach in a side dish of mushroom sauce that had already been partly eaten.

She complained to Brisbane City Council, which then carried out inspections that revealed live and dead cockroaches in the hotel’s kitchen over several days, a court has heard.

Hotel owner Revestar Pty Ltd pleaded guilty to 12 charges of breaching the Food Act over cockroaches, lack of cleanliness in the kitchen and failure to fix gaps in the kitchen.

Company director Otto Wilhelm pleaded guilty to three charges in Brisbane Magistrates Court.

Brisbane City Council’s solicitor Mark Thomas said apart from the cockroach in the customer’s food, cockroaches later were found in the hotel kitchen, including on plates.

He tendered photos showing live and dead cockroaches around food preparation and plate-up benches and wash up areas and the cockroach in the mushroom sauce.

Mr Thomas said inspectors found a poor standard of cleanliness under cooking equipment and benches and grease and food waste that could attract cockroaches.

The hotel kitchen also had several holes or crevices that needed to be filled to prevent cockroaches.

Mr Thomas it was not until the seventh inspection by council officers that the hotel resolved the cockroach problem.

He said the iconic Normanby Hotel was regarded as an institution in Brisbane and it had a responsibility to provide the public with safe food, free of risk of contamination.

Mr Thomas said the hotel had previously received infringement notices for similar breaches involving cleanliness and pests.

Brendan Whelan, in-house solicitor for Revestar Pty Ltd and Mr Wilhelm, said it was the first time the hotel and its director had been before a court for breaches.

He said the hotel’s directors were embarrassed and remorseful and significant steps had been taken to ensure there were no more court appearances.

The hotel, which called in pest controllers to get rid of the cockroaches, had since had monthly pest inspections, and there had been no further incidents, he said.

Magistrate Barry Cosgrove said they were serious matters and the evidence clearly showed cockroaches and a lack of cleanliness in the kitchen.

He fined Revestar Pty Ltd $28,000 and Mr Wilhelm $2000. He also ordered the company and its director to pay costs totalling $1680, but did not record convictions.

He said the iconic Normanby Hotel was regarded as an institution in Brisbane and it had a responsibility to provide the public with safe food, free of risk of contamination.

Mr Thomas said the hotel had previously received infringement notices for similar breaches involving cleanliness and pests.

Brendan Whelan, in-house solicitor for Revestar Pty Ltd and Mr Wilhelm, said it was the first time the hotel and its director had been before a court for breaches.

He said the hotel’s directors were embarrassed and remorseful and significant steps had been taken to ensure there were no more court appearances.

The hotel, which called in pest controllers to get rid of the cockroaches, had since had monthly pest inspections, and there had been no further incidents, he said.

Magistrate Barry Cosgrove said they were serious matters and the evidence clearly showed cockroaches and a lack of cleanliness in the kitchen.

He fined Revestar Pty Ltd $28,000 and Mr Wilhelm $2000. He also ordered the company and its director to pay costs totalling $1680, but did not record convictions.

Source: The Courier-Mail, Kay Dibben, 9^th January 2016