Takeaway owner fined in court for hygiene breaches

Huntingdon District Council officers carried out inspections at the Spice House, in Lansdowne Road, Yaxley, in March and May 2015.

As a result of concern over procedural and cleanliness failures, boss Sultan Najafi, (59), was issued with two hygiene improvement notices requiring urgent action be taken to comply with the law.

But Peterborough Magistrates’ Court was told that when officers returned in July to see what action had been taken, very little had changed.

Paul Weller, prosecuting, said: “During this further inspection officers found there was no documented food safety system available for checking, poor cleanliness and non-competent staff.

“The sole food handler had a certificate to show he had received training, but was unable to demonstrate basic safety requirements such as hand-washing, disinfecting and monitoring temperatures.”

Najafi pleaded guilty to two charges of failing to comply with a hygiene improvement notice at a hearing on Wednesday.

Representing himself during the court hearing, the businessman said he was confident adequate steps had now been taken at the premises to prevent further complaints.

Najafi said: “Now, clothes are changed every day, all the cleaning is done, and both chefs have got their certificates.

“If anyone walked in there now, we wouldn’t have a problem.”

Najafi was fined £985 and ordered to pay £1,640 costs, along with a £99 surcharge by the magistrates.