ROTTEN food and evidence of cockroaches and mice have earned a Coventry food business operator a hefty fine.
Diyar Kadar, the Food Business Operator of 4 Ways Fine Foods in Walsgrave Road pleaded guilty to three hygiene offences at Coventry Magistrates Court.
Kadar was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs of £3,000, as well as a victim surcharge of £80.
Food and Safety Officers carried out an unannounced food hygiene inspection at the business in February 2024, following concerns raised about rotten fruit and vegetables.
During this visit, both cockroach and mouse activity was found inside the premises.
The business agreed to voluntarily close as pest activity in food premises is deemed an imminent risk to health.
After voluntarily closing, the business carried out pest control treatment, cleaning and proofing. Once no further evidence of pests were found and no imminent risk to health remained, the business was then able to reopen.
Officers revisited the following month where it was noted that cleaning standards had been maintained and there was no evidence of any mice or cockroaches.
When questioned about the poor conditions found, Kadar admitted the offences and said he had tried to treat the mouse problem and clean regularly, but hadn’t realised how bad the infestation was as he had not been spending as much time as he would have liked at the shop due to family circumstances.
Kadar pleaded guilty to failing to put in place adequate procedures to control pests, failing to keep the premises clean, and failing to protect food from contamination.
A further unannounced inspection was carried out in September 2024, when the business received a food hygiene rating of three – ‘generally satisfactory’.
Coun Abdul Salam Khan, Coventry City Council’s spokesperson for Policing and Equalities, said: “It is vital that people running food businesses in Coventry have adequate procedures in place to ensure the safety of the food they sell at all times, even when they themselves are not able to be present at the business.
“This is a reminder to all Food Business Operators to ensure they have suitably trained staff on their procedures such as checking for pests every day to prevent a problem like this escalating and causing a risk to health.”
Davina Blackburn, Strategic Lead for Regulation and Communities in the city, added: “We take a staged approach to enforcement, and wherever possible, officers will always try to work with businesses offering advice and guidance but will take the necessary actions if they feel there is a risk to health.
“On this occasion, closing the premises was necessary to ensure consumers were not put at risk, and the business worked with the team to make the necessary changes to reopen the premises as soon as possible.”
Report unsatisfactory food hygiene conditions at food businesses in Coventry via [email protected] or by calling 08085 834333.
