‘Dirty’ Abergavenny pub had 'foul-smelling' raw chicken

Old Pandy Inn landlord Vasile Barbu, 48, was fined after he admitted more than 20 food regulation offences that included having out-of-date and mouldy food.

The pub in Pandy, near Abergavenny, was prosecuted following an investigation by Monmouthshire council after a visit on March 29, 2022.

The Old Pandy Inn, Pandy, near Abergavenny, had “filthy cooking facilities”, Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court was told

An opened tin of “mouldy” tomatoes. Picture: Monmouthshire council

Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court heard an inspector found the following:

• Cling wrapped piece of raw chicken in a discoloured and foul-smelling condition
• Opened tin of tomatoes with “mould growth”
• Rack of pork ribs with expired use-by dates of March 14 (expired 15 days earlier)
• Cling wrapped raw pork in a rancid and foul-smelling condition
• Two packs of Tesco rib-eye steak with expired use-by dates of March 26 (expired three days earlier)
• Cling wrapped rump steaks in a foul-smelling condition
• Two 400g packs of beef lasagne with use-by dates of March 23 (expired six days earlier)
• Tomato and garlic salad dressing/garnish in a mouldy condition
• Filthy cooking range, dirty microwave and convection ovens, chest freezer and under-counter fridge
• Kitchen in dirty and dishevelled state and dirty wash hand basin that was not securely fixed to the wall
• Dirty floors, spillages of dirty cooking oil in the rear yard, accumulation of congealed grease beneath the extractor fan on the external kitchen wall

Photographic evidence was used as part of the prosecution case against Vasile Barbu, Picture: Monmouthshire council

Barbu was ordered to pay £2,408.40 in a fine, costs and a surcharge.

The Old Pandy Inn, Pandy, near Abergavenny

He was fined £733 and told to pay £1,602.40 costs and a £73 surcharge.

After the court case, a Monmouthshire council spokesperson said: “During a routine food hygiene inspection at the Old Pandy Inn, Hereford Road, Pandy, Abergavenny, an authorised officer discovered many items of out-of-date food, unfit, contaminated and mouldy food, dirty items of equipment, dirty premises and no food safety management systems in operation.

There was “significant cross contamination risks, poor standards of cleanliness and a general disregard for food safety”, a court was told. Picture: Monmouthshire council

“The food business operator, Vasile Barbu, was not present at the premises at the time of the inspection.”