The owner of a Dudley pizza shop has been fined £10,000 for ‘extremely dangerous food hygiene’ after dirty equipment came into contact with food and flour was found to be stored in a green bin.
Balvinder Gill, aged 42, from Pizza Junction, in Union Street, pleaded guilty to nine charges of failing to comply with EU provision concerning food safety and hygiene.
A series of photos showing greasy and dirty work surfaces, equipment, floors and ceilings were taken by Environmental Health officers following a visit in February 2016. Tim Holder, prosecuting on behalf of Dudley Council, said:
“Visits were carried out on a routine food hygiene inspection. During the course of the visit, numerous contraventions were noted including the lack of implementation of a food safety management system, poor standards of cleanliness, equipment that came into contact with food was dirty and not kept in a good condition and food was not protected against contamination.
“A re-visit was carried out in February 2016 by officers specifically to review standards of cleaning. During the course of the visit it was noted that standards of cleanliness were improved.
“Due to the low inspection rating and to check on compliance with food hygiene notices served for failure to put in place and implement a food safety management system a further inspection was carried out on July 2016 which resulted in the premises receiving a rating of 1.”
Photographic evidence collected by the officers showing a open doors to the lobby and staff toilets, unclean mixing equipment, a greasy and rusty tandoori oven, a container of southern fried coating and food stored in various containers in an open chiller. The microwave in the server had not been cleaned and the floor surface under the chill display unit was left with mouldy tiles.
Mr Gill was ordered to pay a fine of £10,000, £1,489 costs and a victim surcharge of £170 at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court. Chair of the bench, Sharon Powell, said: “I am really hoping that you understand the serious nature of this.”
Gill, who remains the owner of the food outlet, said that he would be appealing.
