Cleanliness Is Next to Godliness

Now when I was younger, and in fact now, when I come to think on it  ... 'Carry on Up the Khyber', or indeed any mention of 'The Khyber Pass', had double entendre connotations. So when film or book character said that he or someone 'copped it up the Khyber', I would, and still do, grin.

Carry On Up The Khyber ... Good For A Laugh

So it didn't take much for me to start reading the story of a curry house that had got into hot water over its hygiene rules observance .... yes, you have guessed it, it was a kebab and curry shop called 'The Khyber Pass' in Nottingham in the UK. An establishment where more than 142 customers were recently infected with a very rare, and rather virulent version of the e.Coli bacteria, mainly because the kitchen and waiting staff, didn't bother to wash their hands after going to the toilets.

Staff Cleanliness Inspections Are Much Stricter Now At The Khyber Pass

The strain was identifiable as being staff related, because its a version that only comes from the human gut, so is passed from human to human and can be traced via tests. The victims (and we can all guess what sort of 48 hour hell they experienced), were given by the courts £200 compensation each. The two owners of the shop (Mr Amad Bhatti and Mohammed Basit), escaped prison, only getting suspended jail sentences, and merely 250 hours unpaid work (which by the way, no one is likely to enforce anyway).

It's a pity the courts couldn't give them a taste of their own medicine, with some equally gut wrenching, but non lethal illness, as a fitting punishment ... it would be something that they would remember, and might induce a sudden conversion to hand washing amongst these two gentlemen and their staff.

In any event, I can't imagine too many people ordering food from this establishment for quite a while .... cleanliness at this level is not enforced, its something you either do naturally or don't.