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Café fined for hatch plunge
26 Jan 2009A patisserie chain was ordered to pay £27,000 after a customer fell 12 feet through an open delivery hatch.
Dr Mohan Gopal, 55, was in a branch of Le Pain Quotidien in Kensington when he plunged through the unmarked hatch, tearing knee ligaments. Parent company Village du Pain was ordered at Blackfriars crown court to pay Dr Gopal, who was on a visit from India, £7,500 compensation, fined £12,500 and ordered to pay costs.
Sarah Selby, prosecuting, told the court: “He was fortunate to not have suffered significantly more injuries by the fall.” She said staff had ignored safety guidelines by not putting out signs to warn about the open hatch and by not having two staff members operating the lift.
