A DUDLEY takeaway owner has been ordered to pay more than £2,800, after a visit from Dudley environmental health inspectors found his premises to be unhygienic and dangerous.
Officers undertook a routine but unannounced inspection at Chopsticks on September 15 2022 and witnessed poor standards of food hygiene and safety including evidence of rodent activity.
Yasan Liang, director of Chopsticks in Birmingham New Road, admitted five food hygiene breaches and one health and safety breach at Dudley Magistrates Court on December 13.
The team found breaches of food safety and hygiene legislation including evidence of mouse activity, poor cleanliness, damaged and dirty equipment, poor food safety hygiene procedures and a lack of food hygiene training.
The food business voluntarily closed on September 15 due to the presence of an imminent risk of injury to health, because of mouse activity.
During a subsequent inspection the next day, officers also found the gas installation at the premises had not been maintained in a safe condition.
The gas supply was temporarily cut off to the premises until remedial action was taken. The business was also instructed to remain closed until the health risk from the mouse activity had been removed.
The court acknowledged steps were quickly taken to remedy the breaches and the business had co-operated with the investigation.
However, Mr Liang was ordered to pay an £800 fine, a victim surcharge of £320 and court costs landing him a total bill of £2,806.82.
Councillor Ian Bevan, Dudley Council's cabinet member responsible for Dudley trading standards and environmental health, said: “It is shocking to know about the poor food hygiene standards that were in place at Chopsticks when our environmental health officers undertook a routine inspection last year.
“We take hygiene breaches very seriously and will not hesitate to act against food premises owners who have not taken the appropriate steps to ensure the safety and wellbeing of their customers.
“This case serves as an example to all food business owners that they must comply with the standards expected of them, or they could face legal action and a hefty fine.”
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