The former owner of a Lye takeaway has landed a £2,844 court bill after inspectors discovered a series of hygiene problems.

Route 66 Roadhouse Limited, which ran 'Roadhouse' on Stourbridge Road until October 2017, pleaded guilty to five offences under food hygiene regulations, including two of failing to comply with improvement notices, at Dudley Magistrates Court on October 24.

The court heard in May 2017, Dudley Council environmental health officers carried out a follow-up visit to the takeaway to check on issues identified during a previous inspection, when it had been given a one rating. Then they had found staff were not trained in the principles of food hygiene, they did not have procedures in place to keep food safe and they had not registered with the authority.

Food hygiene improvement notices had been served on the company requiring them to train staff and to repair the damaged ceiling in the servery area, but when officers visited in May 2017 they found these had not been complied with.

Magistrates imposed fines totalling £1,000, a £115 victim surcharge  and ordered Route 66 Roadhouse Limited to pay costs totalling  £1,729.60.

The council confirmed the company ceased trading in October 2017. Councillor Cathy Bayton, cabinet member responsible for health and well being, said:

"Whilst we prefer to work with businesses to secure compliance with the law, we will not hesitate to take legal action against the minority of food businesses proprietors who do not take our advice on board and who fail to meet their legal responsibilities.

"The vast majority of food outlets in the borough achieve a satisfactory hygiene rating of three or more with more than 50 per cent achieving the top hygiene rating of 5. 

"I’d encourage consumers to check out hygiene ratings online as these give consumers a glimpse of what is going on in the kitchen when they eat out, or behind the scenes at the places they shop.”

Dudley Council environmental health officers carry out regular inspections of food premises in the borough to advise food business owners and ensure they meet all food safety and hygiene requirements. Ratings in Dudley can be viewed online at dudley.gov.uk/foodsafety.