Blumenthal staff had vomiting bug while at work

STAFF at Heston Blumenthal’s award-winning restaurant continued to work while infected with the vomiting bug norovirus, it was confirmed yesterday.

The Fat Duck in Bray, Berkshire, was closed for two weeks as a precaution after diners said they had fallen ill.

The Health Protection Agency, which has been investigating the outbreak, said they had detected norovirus in six staff and eight diners and identified “weaknesses” in how staff illness was dealt with.

The agency said it was “clear” staff continued to work at the restaurant while still infected with the bug — a practice that contravenes Health Protection Agency guidelines.

A HPA statement read: “The in-depth investigation into what has caused 529 people to date to report being ill after eating at the restaurant is continuing and so far, the HPA has detected norovirus infection in six staff and eight diners and weaknesses in how staff sickness was identified and dealt with.”

Blumenthal has said the cause of the outbreak was not food poisoning: “The only thing that has come up is that three staff and five customers have been tested positive for something called norovirus.”