The manager of a Stamford takeaway has been ordered to pay over £4,000 for persistent breaches of food hygiene laws.
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- Council: South Kesteven District Council
- Fine: £2,000
- Costs: £2,208.24
- Total: £4,208.24
South Kesteven District Council prosecuted Mohammed Habib Yousaf, the manager of Chilli Masters of Red Lion Street,Stamford, on May 8 for offences under food hygiene legislation.
On Thursday (May 8) Grantham Magistrates’ Court heard that environmental health officers from SKDC visited the premises on October 4, 2013.
Inspectors found poor levels of cleaning in areas where food was prepared.
This included raw food found left in plastic bags and unsatisfactory hygiene in fridges with faulty seals containing food items that increased high risks of food contamination.
Subsequent hygiene improvement notices were not complied with despite inspectors’ continued warnings that standards of cleanliness and maintenance at the takeaway needed to improve.
A lack of food hygiene training to staff and absence of any food management system were also cited as problems that owners refused to address over a number of months.
Yousaf admitted to magistrates at a previous hearing on March 31 that he had failed to keep the premises in good repair and condition and ensure the layout of the premises was such as to permit good food hygiene practices.
He pleaded guilty to two offences under the Food Hygiene (England) Regulations 2006.
After adjourning the case to May 8 for Yousaf to provide details of his finances, he was fined £3,000, reduced to £2,000 for an early guilty plea, ordered to pay full costs of £2,208.24 and a £120 victim surcharge, leaving a total bill of £4,328.24.
Presiding magistrate Kathy Forrest said: “This was a very serious breach of regulations which continued for some time. We accept improvements have been made.”
SKDC’s operations director Ian Yates said: “This prosecution sends a message to the minority who flout the rules and put their customer’s health at risk in the process.
“SKDC’s environmental health service aims to support food businesses in South Kesteven by giving advice and guidance to both new and existing businesses. However if businesses fail to respond to this we have no option but to take legal action.
“Some improvements have been made and we are working with the business in this case to seek further improvements to ensure compliance with the relevant legislation.”
