Dessert shop owner fined £12k after revolting find as soon as inspectors arrived
A dessert shop has come under fire after food inspectors discovered a sickening mouse infestation as soon as they walked through the doors.
Javid Shah, the owner of Dessert Lounge in Stockport, was slapped with a fine of just under £12,000, for putting his customers at risk. Stockport Council took the businessman to court after he demonstrated "serious failure to protect public health."
Shocking images revealed the dire state of the dessert shop, which included mouse droppings sprawled around the floor and cupboards. In one picture, droppings could be seen next to syrup bottles. Inspectors stressed that the infestation was severe and said they had noticed droppings as soon as they entered the shop. They were also found in food packaging and plastic cups.
On May 9, Mr Shah pleaded guilty to seven food hygiene offences after the disgusting conditions were found during a routine inspection, reports Manchester Evening News. He was charged with failing to protect food and the premises from pest contamination, not keeping equipment and surfaces clean and disinfected, failing to ensure food packaging was not exposed to contamination, and not maintaining procedures based on HACCP principles.
He was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay £7,000 in costs and a £1,400 victim surcharge. In addition to the infestation, inspectors also found an unsatisfactory standard of cleaning across the establishment. This included no effective pest control, as well as people handling food not receiving proper training or supervision.
In addition, there was also not an accessible wash basin with hot and cold water, or somewhere for people to hygienically dry their hands. Cllr Dan Oliver, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Public Protection, said: "The appalling conditions found at Dessert Lounge represent a serious failure to protect public health.
"This kind of negligence is completely unacceptable, and we will continue to take strong enforcement action against any business that puts customers at risk. I'm pleased that improvements have now been made, but this prosecution sends a clear message that we will always prioritise the safety of residents and visitors when it comes to food hygiene."
Since the legal action the business has taken steps to address the serious concerns which were raised. An inspection has since been carried out on March 4, and the business was awarded a Food Hygiene Rating of four.
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