Letters

Good housekeeping can help stamp out vermin

 

Your advice regarding infestation by vermin (Caterer, 29 January, page 54) gave only half the picture.

 

Local authorities will take each case on its merits and consider the risk to public health before considering any legal action. The Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949 may not necessarily be the first legal instrument that local authorities resort to enforcing.

 

The experts omitted to mention that the Food Safety (General Food Hygiene) Regulations 1995 require that the layout, design, construction and size of all food premises shall "…permit good hygiene practices, including protection against cross-contamination between and during operations, by foodstuffs, equipment… and external sources of contamination such as pests".

 

Premises with serious pest infestations may be the subject of closure under the act. It is under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 that employers must ensure that pest infestations don't result in unsafe working conditions.

 

Effective staff training will help to monitor the presence of pests and reduce the risk of an infestation. Denial of food, water, warmth and a place to breed are good starters. About 70% of effective pest control is down to good housekeeping, and 20% as a result of repair of equipment and the fabric of the building. Less than 10% is down to the use of chemical pesticides.

 

Euan MacAuslan, Environmental Health Training Co-ordinator, Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London

 

We must support parents in fight against obesity

 

I have been following the debate on obesity in children with great interest and found the article "Poll says parents are responsible for diet" (Caterer, 29 January, page 15) very refreshing. I agree with Sir John Krebbs, chairman of the Food Standards Agency, when he says parents need support from schools, industry and broadcasters if the Government is going to make a difference on this issue.

 

I am a parent and the managing partner of a contract caterer focusing on education. I have always believed it's my responsibility, and that of my colleagues, to offer children a menu low in fat, salt and sugar, with a choice of good quality fresh fruit and vegetables.

 

I couldn't agree more that, as an industry, we have to seize this challenge and work towards supporting parents to improve children's diet. I am not just talking about schools but all of us in every aspect of the trade.

 

Kate Martin, Managing Partner, Brookwood Partnership, by email

 

Why is hospitality course not being replaced?

 

I am the head of hospitality and catering at Thomas Telford School in Shropshire, where we run intermediate GNVQ courses for students in years nine to 11.

 

I would like to draw readers' attention to the fact that the Government has decided to scrap the GNVQ intermediate course, with the last exam in June 2005. Hospitality and catering is the only subject area not being replaced by a new course after June 2005. The industry is losing a great chance to get students interested in catering. Cutting the course is set against a background of staff and skill shortages across large sections of the industry, and I find the decision very puzzling because of the size of our industry and how it fits in with the Government's aim to introduce more vocational education.

 

Alan Jones, Thomas Telford School, Shropshire

 

Schools initiative will atttract kids to industry

 

I was delighted to read that the Government is planning to use the hospitality industry to spearhead a new nationwide vocational training initiative in schools this summer (Caterer, 29 January, page 12).

 

The proposal by Mike Tomlinson, head of the Government's exam reform working party, to offer "hybrid" GCSEs allowing students to study applied as well as academic courses is just what we need to attract more people to our industry.

 

Hospitality offers enthusiastic teenagers the chance to shine. With sufficient vision, these courses could enable individuals to develop their leadership, creativity and problem-solving skills as well as learn the necessary practical tools.

 

Jane Sunley, Managing Director, Learnpurple, London

 

Just proves appearances can be deceptive

 

I read with increasing surprise Forbes Mutch's comment "Purple haze all in my bar" (Caterer, 29 January, page 5). To hear from the lips of the ultimate besuited, corporate man the words of Kevin Ayers (extract: "From the green cigarette he took a long drag, And said, ‘I think I'll pack my travelling bag'"), not to mention phrases like "let me bogart that joint, my friend", make me think that his youth was much more misspent than any of us had previously thought. I'm quite impressed, really.

 

Michael Prager, Managing Director, Delta Squared Performance Improvement, by email

 

Winning the battle for consistent standards and grading systems

 

In April 2003 I was commissioned by VisitScotland, the Wales Tourist Board and VisitBritain to undertake a review of Britain-wide quality, particularly of accommodation and the various grading systems. I thought it would be useful to update readers on where we've got to.

 

The distinguishing feature of this review is to focus on what customers expect.

 

To undertake the work, the existing Common Standards team, drawn from tourist boards and with participation from the AA and the RAC, was supported by a small group of major stakeholders from the British Hospitality Association, the regional development agencies, regional tourist boards, local government agencies and representatives of the Tourism Alliance.

 

From the outset it was clear that our work must leave marketing firmly in the hands of the commercial organisations and the tourist boards. Marketing will always remain independent, and strongly competitive. Our task is to deliver common standards for the customer and, where appropriate, common practices.

 

The Quality Review Group will continue its work up to publication of a final report at the end of next month. Lively discussion is still in progress, but I am hopeful that, thanks to the outstanding co-operation and commitment of the Common Standards team, we shall deliver agreement in principle for common standards to operate in grading for all categories of accommodation across Britain.

 

If so, the customer can be confident that the quality of accommodation across Scotland, England and Wales, wherever the grading standard is displayed, is reliably consistent.

 

The changes will not be earth-shaking, but some significant adjustments will be necessary to bring the five major grading schemes on to a basic, common standard. Publication of our recommendations will therefore be the start of a process of consultation. It's essential for the sake of both the industry and our customers that implementation of the new standards is smooth, well co-ordinated and properly prepared.

 

I believe that with support from the industry we serve, this report can prove a turning point in terms of quality standards which, needless to say, underpin all our efforts to develop a world-class tourism industry in this country.

 

Alan Britten, Quality Review Group, London