A HEALTH boss today said the decision not to name the food outlet at the centre of E.coli food poisoning inquiries had been proved right, following an extensive investigation.

Dr Roberta Marshall, East Lancashire Health Authority's consultant in communicable disease control, steadfastly refused to identify the Ribble Valley food outlet linked to three of the six cases reported within days in July - despite strong pressure from health watchdogs to do so "in the public interest".

Today, Dr Marshall said the results of the extensive investigation at the premises by Ribble Valley Council environmental health officers, who said there was insufficient evidence to pursue court action against the food outlet, justified the authority's stance.

She said that in matters where there was an ongoing risk to public health, as was the case in a milk supply outbreak in East Lancashire some time ago, it was right to identify the supplier concerned and this was done.

But she added: "In this instance there was no evidence of an ongoing problem.

"There was no direct evidence that the food premises were involved and no evidence of risk to public health."

Dr Marshall added: "It is a decision we stand by.

"It was not for us to name premises before we have evidence and no evidence has been found." But Coun Frank Clifford, chairman of Burnley Community Health Council which has called throughout for the outlet to be named, said he believed the health authority had a public duty to identify premises which were the common denominator in three cases of E.coli poisoning. He added: "Apart from giving the public the right to make its own decisions on whether to visit the establishment, the fact that it is widely known that the food outlet involved is a pub/restaurant in the Ribble Valley casts a question mark over every other establishment and that is quite wrong."

Today, licensee Richard Taylor of the Red Pump, Bashall Eaves, said he believed his business had suffered from rumours surrounding the outbreak.

"Business has certainly gone down and we have been approached on a number of occasions recently by customers saying they believed we were the premises involved," said Mr Clayton, joint owner of the pub which is primarily an eating house.

"The fact is when we took over at the end of June we were closed for a few days too and people have put two and two together and made five.

"I can categorically say we were not the premises under investigation," he added.

The owner of the outlet at the centre of inquiries refused to comment.

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