Brockencote Hall

Food poisoning Last month we held an annual reunion at Brockencote Hall of former pupils and their partners from our old school. We are all around 80 years of age. On the second evening four guests suffered food poisoning resulting in repeating vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhoea, all within an hour of finishing the meal. It was a severe gastrointestinal upset which was very distressing to all concerned. Although the worst effects lasted only a day or two, others had after effects up to two weeks later. The meals were pre-ordered and each of the four had chosen the same dish: a mushroom risotto. They were the only guests to eat the risotto, and no-one else had any adverse reactions. It therefore appears conclusive that the cause of the poisoning was something in the risotto. The stated principal ingredients were rice, asparagus, garlic and morels. Morels are a relatively rare form of mushroom or fungus known to be toxic without very careful cleaning and cooking at a high temperature. There are documented cases of morel poisoning, including one where over 50 diners suffered food poisoning, two of whom died. Despite this, Brockencote Hall has not admitted any liability, although at our request it compensated those affected by reimbursing the cost of their meals and a contribution towards their accommodation costs “as a goodwill gesture”. They carried out an internal investigation over several weeks which concluded “with no definitive findings”. They said that their supplier of the morels carried out laboratory testing of the same batch and reported that they were “safe for consumption”. They also emphasise that food safety is a priority and staff undergo “comprehensive food hygiene and safety training”. However, none of this explains why four guests were violently sick after eating the same dish in this hotel. I asked if they were still serving morels at Brockencote but they failed to answer. It appears that they have learned nothing, and are not changing anything, as a result of this incident. We feel that guests at Brockencote Hall should be made aware of this event, and they would be well advised to check out any ingredient with which they are unfamiliar.

Brockencote Hall , part f the Eden Hotel Collection (EHC), is a beautiful tranquil haven oozing with elegance and charm in the heart of rural Worcestershire. It is located in convenient proximity to Worcester, Bromsgrove and Kidderminster. This stylish retreat caters for guests in the smallest of details;- from comfortable, clean spacious rooms (offering excellent complementary tea , coffee, homemade oat bars and cordial, slippers,etc) to the beautiful dining rooms adorned with fresh flowers throughout. Most importantly the staff is the heart and soul of Brockencote Hall. The welcoming friendly atmosphere is prevalent. I would like to thank all the wonderful staff for making me feel welcome. Thank you Jack, Angela and Dan Brennan for the superb management. I have been a returning guest for many years and have visited many hotels . Brockencote Hall is my favourite hideaway of all.