Hitchin pub fined after nine-year-old suffers severe allergic reaction
A national pub chain has been fined more than £26,000 after a boy with a wheat allergy was served a sausage containing the allergen at a Hitchin restaurant, despite repeated assurances it was safe
A pub company has been fined over £26,000 after a nine-year-old boy with a wheat allergy suffered a serious allergic reaction at a restaurant in Hitchin.
The incident happened in August 2023 when a family from Welwyn Garden City visited The Rusty Gun for a birthday meal. The venue is operated by Innventure Ltd, which runs a chain of pubs and restaurants across the country.
At St Albans Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 6 May, Innventure Ltd pleaded guilty to two food safety offences and was ordered to pay a total of £26,802.76. This includes a fine, court costs, a victim surcharge, and £1,000 in compensation for the boy, Ralph.
Ralph’s mother had informed staff of her son’s wheat allergy on two separate occasions and was told by waiters—after they had checked with the kitchen—that the sausages on the children’s menu were safe. However, shortly after eating a small portion, Ralph fell seriously ill.
“Ralph was really unwell – it’s every parent’s worst nightmare watching their child struggle to breathe,” said his mother, Lauren. “I was thinking the worst. I will always have a lasting memory of Ralph asking me if he was going to die that night.”
She added: “At that time, we were unaware that he had eaten wheat in the sausages, so we were trying to understand what was happening. When I called the Rusty Gun the next day, they told me, ‘we made a mistake,’ and then offered me a free meal. I couldn’t believe how casually it was handled.”
Ralph was given adrenaline and steroids at a local hospital before being rushed to Lister Hospital in Stevenage by ambulance, where he was monitored overnight.
An investigation by Hertfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards team found the pub did not have consistent allergen training for all staff and lacked a clear allergen management process.
Andrew Butler, Director for Community Safety and Regulatory Services at Hertfordshire County Council, said: “This incident should never have happened. We will investigate and prosecute businesses where unsafe practices are putting people’s health at risk.”
Tanya Ednan-Laperouse OBE, founder of The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation, said: “It’s upsetting and frustrating to hear that a nine-year-old boy nearly died from anaphylaxis after being served a meal containing wheat, even after his mother had told the pub about his allergy. Food allergies are not a choice or preference. They are a life-threatening condition.”
District Judge Dodd, sentencing, said the company had “not learnt” from two previous incidents relating to allergen advice in its other venues. She added that although there were failings by individual employees, responsibility rested with the company. However, she acknowledged that Innventure Ltd had no previous convictions and had taken steps to improve procedures.
The charges related to selling food not of the substance demanded by the customer, and placing unsafe food on the market in breach of food safety legislation.