Fade Street Social served with food safety closure order

Dylan McGrath's Fade Street Social was served with a closure order by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) in the middle of July over what the restaurant has described as "a minor plumbing issue".

Under the law a closure order is only served on a restaurant where it is deemed that “there is or there is likely to be a grave and immediate danger to public health at or in the premises; or where an improvement order is not complied with”.

As is normal practice, the FSAI did not outline the exact reasons why the popular restaurant on the Dublin street which shares its name was closed in a statement published on Monday. All it would say was that the order was served on the restaurant on July 15th and lifted the following day.

However, a spokeswoman for the restaurant told The Irish Times that the order was served because of a “minor drain/plumbing issue”.

She said the issue was “rectified as soon as it was brought to our attention. We let our customers know straight away and were back trading by lunchtime the next day”.

Closure orders can refer to the immediate closure of all or part of the food premises, or all or some of its activities.

The order imposed on Fade Street Social was one of five such orders served in July under the FSAI Act 1988.

Blueberries Pop Up on Lower Cork Street in Mitchelstown, Co Cork, The Spice House on Church Street in Cavan the Nite Star take away on Main Street in Glenties, Donegal and a food stall trading under the name Majas Virtue at Farmleigh Estate in the Phoenix Park were also served with orders.

A further seven premises were closed under separate EU legislation.

They were Chen's Chinese Take Away in Mountmellick, the Cashel Take Away Foodstall in Achill, the food production areas of the Jolly Roger on Sherkin Island in Skibbereen and Sandyford House in Sandyford. Also served with orders were Azeem Meat and Grocery on Pound Street in Edgeworthstown the Lucky Dragon take away in Cabra and Craigs Fresh wholesale in Drumnabratty, Raphoe.

The chief executive of the FSAI Dr Pamela Byrne said it was "of the utmost importance" that consumers are confident at all times that the food they are purchasing and eating is safe.

“There are simply no excuses for putting consumers’ health at risk through sub-standard food hygiene practices. The summer months are busy months for food businesses and systems must be put in place to cope with the increase in customers,” she said.

She said the FSAI was “re-emphasising to all food businesses that they must comply with food safety and hygiene laws at all times. It is essential that all food businesses have the appropriate food safety management systems and procedures in place and that all staff are fully trained to ensure these systems and procedures are adhered to all times.”