Investigation launched into 'over-aged' beef at Nottinghamshire farming ball

An investigation has been launched after "serious problems" were found in beef presented at a Nottinghamshire farming ball attended by hundreds of people. An environmental health officer is examining the Southwell and District Agricultural Society's annual ball on Friday (November 1) after some meat was described as "over-aged."

The venue hosting the event has confirmed that some beef joints were sent back to the kitchen and that a sample of the meat has been sent to an accredited analysis centre. The event was held at The Renaissance at Kelham Hall, a 19th-century building that was taken on by the current owners in 2021, and the operators say an inspection following Friday's event has "confirmed our compliance with the highest standards."

The Southwell and District Agricultural Society's primary activity is running the annual Southwell Ploughing Match, first established in 1855. Registered as a charity, the society holds events including its annual ball to raise money to support the ploughing match.

A spokesperson for the society confirmed: "We opted for a new venue this year and contracted with the proprietors of Kelham Hall (The Renaissance at Kelham Hall Limited) for them exclusively to provide the venue, bar and all of the catering. Sadly, there were serious problems in relation to the food provided which were entirely outside of our control.

"We are actively engaged with the venue at this time to redress the problems so far as it might be possible. In view of the nature of the issues and the investigation it is inappropriate for us to comment or speculate further.

"We, of course, will cooperate fully with those investigating and will encourage our members and guests present to do similarly." The Southwell Ploughing Match itself was held on the Oxton Estate this year, with other fundraising events run by the society including a spring dinner and summer party.

Kelham Hall was sold by the original owners in 1903 to a theological college and the Grade I listed building later became Newark and Sherwood District Council's headquarters for 40 years. The site was then sold to Kelham Hall Limited in 2014, which ran the building as a wedding venue until Covid restrictions caused the liquidation of that company in 2021.

Renaissance at Kelham Hall then took on the building later that year and it now offers the building as a wedding, conference and events venue. A spokesperson for the venue said: "We were pleased to welcome 376 guests to an evening of celebration.

"At the client's request, each table was presented with a prime joint of sirloin beef for guests to carve and serve, enhancing the interactive dining experience. This beef was supplied by a trusted local provider known for sourcing high-quality meat from select local farms and was delivered shortly before the event.

"During service, a small number of joints were returned and identified by our team as over-aged and promptly returned to the kitchen. These joints were subsequently sent back to the supplier for review.

"As an additional step, a sample was submitted to a [United Kingdom Accreditation Service]-accredited analysis centre to ensure thorough evaluation. Newark and Sherwood District Council's Environmental Health Officer was also invited to review the matter and a full inspection of our kitchen, staff practices and quality control processes confirmed our compliance with the highest standards.

"We take great pride in our consistent track record of hosting high-quality dining events, including corporate functions, weddings, and conventions." A Newark and Sherwood District Council spokesperson confirmed on Tuesday (November 5): "We can confirm we have received a complaint following an event on Friday but due to GDPR guidance, we cannot currently provide further information on that.

"However, any complaints made are allocated to an Environmental Health Officer for investigation." The council said anyone affected can visit the authority's website and provide details.