Chesham takeaway owners fined for failing to improve food hygiene standards
The owners of a takeaway in the Buckinghamshire town of Chesham have been fined for failing to improve food hygiene standards at their premises.
The owners were prosecuted by Chiltern District Council (CDC) after environmental health officers uncovered numerous problems at their Broad Street takeaway, Mighty Bite.
The premises was first inspected back in January 2009, and officers identified that the owners of the takeaway did not have sufficient food safety management systems in place. It is not known whether this was due to negligence or a lack of proper food hygiene training.
A Hygiene Improvement Notice was issued, but the brothers failed to comply with it within the allotted time and were subsequently prosecuted at Aylesbury Magistrates Court. They were fined £2,030 and ordered to pay the council’s court costs of £1,500.
Isobel Darby, who is the council’s cabinet member for health and housing, commented on the case:
“Prosecution is the last resort for the council. We prefer to work with our businesses to achieve a safe environment for the public to eat.”
“Overall we have seen an improvement in the standards of our businesses throughout Chiltern, especially since the introduction of our food hygiene rating scheme, ‘Scores on the Doors’ in 2010. However, where food hygiene is found to be poor we will react quickly to ensure the public can eat out safely in our district.”