A MONMOUTH hotelier was fined for failing to meet hygiene standards after the kitchen at the town's Mayhill Hotel was described by an environmental health officer as being in a "filthy" condition.

Hotel operator Anthony Christopher Hill was fined £4,000 and told to pay £1,500 costs after a routine environmental health inspection discovered breaches of failing to maintain the premises in a clean condition, and failing to keep equipment clean.

The case was heard at Abergavenny Magistrates court and Hill pleaded guilty to the two offences under the Food Hygiene (Wales) Regulations 2006.

Prosecutor Ioan Gealy's case was that during the inspection on August 15 2007, a council officer found the kitchen to be in a filthy condition.

A thick accumulation of filth, food debris and spilt pest bait was found, the prosecution said, and greasy smears marked the walls.

Food equipment was also said by the prosecution to be filthy, including the griddle and the deep fat fryer.

The Argus contacted Anthony Hill about the case last night, but he said he was unable to comment.

After the hearing, Eric Saxon, Monmouthshire council's cabinet member for the environment, said: "Environmental Health Officers work with businesses to ensure legal requirements are met and the food is produced safely.

"However, if businesses do not maintain adequate standards of cleanliness and fail to implement the necessary food safety controls, food safety may be put at risk and enforcement action has to be taken - with a high cost to the business involved."