28/05/2010 - Restaurant fined for pollution
A Berkshire restaurant owned by Marco Pierre White has been ordered to pay more than £38,000 by Basingstoke Magistrates' Court for polluting a stream.
The Yew Tree Inn pleaded guilty to polluting controlled waters between 23 November 2007 and 15 January 2009, contrary to Section 85(1) of the Water Resources Act 1991.
It was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £7,785 costs. It was also ordered to pay compensation to two residents of £200 each and a victim surcharge of £15.
The company's board director, Andrew Parton, who holds a discharge permit in his name, was also fined £3,100. He pleaded guilty to five offences under Section 85(6) of the Water Resources Act 1991 for breaching his consent to discharge treated sewage effluent into the tributary of the Penwood Stream, and to an offence of failing to comply with an enforcement notice under Section 90B(1) of the WRA 1991. He was ordered to pay £865 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
He had been interviewed under caution by the Environment Agency as the discharge consent holder and as the company managing the site. Mr Parton explained they had employed an engineer to manage the plant and spent a considerable amount of money upgrading the grease traps and other parts of the plant.
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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