Pub where dozens fell ill after Sunday lunch given zero-star hygiene rating

A local Sunday carvery where 50 diners fell ill after enjoying a roast dinner has been handed a zero food hygiene rating.

At least 19 of the customers were confirmed to have been ‘violently’ sick with food poisoning after eating at Cwrt Henllys Bar and Restaurant in Cwmbran in Torfaen, South Wales.

Among them was a pregnant woman who said she woke up in the middle of the night with such severe cramps she thought she may be miscarrying.

Eight people out of a group of 13 said they were sick after having lunch at the establishment, as well as their dog who had the leftovers for dinner.

The outbreak was later traced to a contamination of clostridium perfringens, a rapidly spreading bacteria found in improperly stored or undercooked food, such as meat and poultry.

The pub was rated zero out of five stars for hygiene and was told it required ‘urgent improvement’ in its food handling practices, including preparation, heating and re-heating processes.

In response to the latest report, Cwrt Henllys blamed suppliers for the outbreak of illness and said it was due a new inspection imminently.

It added that it had had no further issues since the incident six weeks ago.

‘There were cases of food poisoning which has never been in doubt, and we apologise to anyone caught up in that’, the bar said in a statement.

‘We are so thankful for people’s understanding and look forward to our new sticker which should arrive very very soon.’

A statement from Torfaen Council said: ‘Following an inspection by officers of Torfaen Council’s Public Protection Service into reports of illness affecting customers who had eaten at the Cwrt Henllys Hotel near Cwmbran, the results of microbiological sampling have confirmed the cause to be due to a food poisoning organism known as Clostridium perfringens.

‘No further cases have been reported as being unwell after eating at the Cwrt Henllys on October 5, 2025 and there remains no wider public health risk.’

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