A MAN has been banned from managing food businesses after pleading guilty to breaching hygiene regulations.

Robert Power, owner of Heath House Nursery, Finstock, appeared before Oxford magistrates and admitted offences relating to cleanliness, cross contamination, lack of hot water for washing and preparation, inadequate pest control procedures and poor management, a West Oxfordshire District Council spokesman said.

Yesterday the food producer declined to comment on the judgement but said he would be appealing “various orders” made at the hearing.

Power had been selling raw chicken at farmers’ markets and was preparing to produce and sell paté.

Officers from West Oxfordshire District Council felt his standards were too poor to produce paté safe for people to eat.

Council environment cabinet member David Harvey said: “Food safety officers had visited Heath House Nursery on many occasions and worked hard over a long period to get Mr Power to comply with minimum hygiene standards.

“Sadly, we are not seeing sufficient improvements and Mr Power’s new venture of producing and selling paté would be putting people’s health seriously at risk if he were allowed to continue.”

Power was ordered to pay £1,400 in fines, £500 costs to the council, and a victims’ surcharge of £15.

A court order was served on him banning him from managing any food business or from using Heath House Nursery for a food business.

He appeared in court on May 28 and admitted failing to comply with a hygiene improvement notice and 17 contraventions of good hygiene regulations in relation to keeping premises and equipment clean and in good order.