A trio of unrelated city food firms fined
Three Birmingham food firms were ordered to pay nearly £9,000 at Birmingham Magistrates Court today (18 January 2018).
Birmingham City Council's Environmental Health department brought these unrelated prosecutions for offences under the Food Safety & Hygiene (England) Regulations 2003.
Afzal Ahmed pleaded guilty to 12 offences relating to conditions found at Owais Frozen Foods, Unit 2, Northside Business Centre, Wellington Street, Birmingham on 24 November 2016. Officers found food manufacturing and storage was taking place in a unit not approved for the purpose by Environmental Health, so a remedial action notice was issued, stopping production and food storage.
During this inspection officers found holes in exterior doors allowing pests to enter the premises, where rat and mouse droppings were found. The remedial action notice was removed, following a further visit by officers on 11 January 2017.
Ahmed, the food business operator, was ordered to pay a total of £2,740 – including a £320 fine and £2,420 in court costs.
Aum Gurudev Ltd, which operates the Victorian Restaurant, at 16 Great Western Arcade in Birmingham, pleaded guilty to four offences related to holes throughout the premises allowing pests to enter.
Officers inspected the premises on 6 December 2016 - following a report of a mouse being spotted there – when they found widespread mouse droppings throughout the kitchen. Due to an imminent risk of injury to health, officers issued a Hygiene Prohibition Notice, formally closing the restaurant.
The premises was allowed to reopen two days’ later (8 December 2016), when officers were satisfied works required had been carried out.
Aum Gurudev Ltd was ordered to pay a total of £4,667 – including a £4,000 fine and £667 towards court costs.
Binte Konte, (39) of Beddows Road, Walsall, pleaded guilty to three offences relating to conditions found at African Continental Market, 307 Witton Road, Birmingham.
Mouse droppings were found on food shelves during an inspection on 23 November 2016, along with packets of food which had been gnawed by mice. Officers also spotted gaps had not been sealed adequately, allowing pests entry to the premises.
Mrs Konte was ordered to pay a total of £1,536 – including a £500 fine and £1,036 court costs.
