Nineteen confirmed cases of food poisoning have been linked to meals served at the Cwrt Henllys Bar & Restaurant in Cwmbran, Torfaen. Authorities identified Clostridium perfringens, a bacteria commonly associated with improperly cooled food, as the cause of the outbreak earlier this month.
Torfaen Council launched an investigation after multiple reports emerged of customers feeling unwell following a carvery meal on 5 October. At the time, more than 50 people were suspected to have contracted food poisoning, prompting immediate scrutiny from environmental health officers.
Following the investigation, the council confirmed that Clostridium perfringens was responsible for the illnesses but stated there was “no wider public risk.” Officials also noted that no further cases have been reported since the initial outbreak.
According to the Food Standards Agency (FSA), Clostridium perfringens is widespread in the environment and in animals. Its spores can survive the cooking process and multiply rapidly if food is left to cool slowly or stored at unsafe temperatures.
The FSA warns that such outbreaks often occur in large-scale food service settings, such as restaurants or carveries, where maintaining consistent temperatures can be challenging.
In a statement posted on social media, the Cwrt Henllys Bar & Restaurant said it believed only three or four tables were affected. The management expressed sympathy for those impacted and said they have worked closely with environmental health teams to improve their food handling procedures.
“Whilst these results bring some closure to us and our patrons, we are still left with questions which we likely won’t ever have answers for,” the restaurant said.
The statement added that the pub was exploring the possibility of a supplier issue, noting reports of contaminated turkey in circulation. However, food samples taken from their kitchen did not test positive for contamination.
“We’ve made positive changes to ensure that moving forwards there will never be a ‘cooling down’ period because your food will go from oven to plate straight away,” the post continued. “It’s important to note that we don’t have actual physical evidence of us being responsible.”
The restaurant emphasised that it had not been ordered to close its kitchen and that public safety remained a top priority. “Our environmental health team have been absolutely wonderful, and we’ve taken on all of their advice and support,” it said.
Public health authorities have commended the restaurant’s cooperation throughout the investigation. They reaffirmed that the outbreak is now under control, with no ongoing risk to diners.
Cwrt Henllys has encouraged any customers who tested positive for Clostridium perfringens to contact the establishment directly to assist with further inquiries.
While the incident raised concerns about food safety in community dining venues, both the council and restaurant have stressed that swift action and improved food-handling protocols have significantly reduced the likelihood of future outbreaks.
