The owner of a restaurant in Southgate has been ordered to pay out £8,420 after failing to comply with food safety laws.
Mr. Mehmet Mehmet, aged 36 from Barnet, sole director of Prince Oliver (International) Ltd. trading as Pasticcio on Cannon Hill pled guilty to food safety offences at a hearing at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on 20 July 2017. He was sentenced on 3 August 2017 at the same court.
The food safety officer on visiting the premises on 28 April 2016 discovered a number of disturbing issues, which included mouldy and out-of-date stored food, inadequate cleaning, a risk of cross-contamination where raw foods were kept alongside ready-to-eat food, and a failure to provide food hygiene training to staff.
Mr. Mehmet had had several opportunities to roll up his sleeves and improve food safety at Pasticcio – Enfield Council’s food safety inspector had visited the premises in January 2016 just after it first opened to offer advice and revisited in April that year where a number of food safety offences were found.
Re-visits in July, September and October 2016 made it clear the Hygiene Improvement Notices that had been served relating to food safety management had not been complied with. The most recent re-inspection was conducted on 26 May 2017 when further offences were found.
Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Daniel Anderson, said: “Enfield Council is fully behind restaurant and cafe owners in the borough and we will do what we can to help them make a success of their businesses. However, for viable growth and sustainability it is incumbent on them to follow hygiene laws to protect the public from health hazards.
“Our experienced officers regularly inspect local food businesses and fully expect owners to properly train their staff and to comply with the law. We take a dim view of those who take risks with health and safety and will not hesitate to take appropriate action and prosecute where necessary. In Enfield we expect all our establishments to be clean and safe for people to visit.
“We would particularly draw residents’ and visitors’ attention to the food hygiene rating scheme*, a useful tool for those looking to go out and get a bite to eat.”
The £8,420 total fines comprised of £4500 fine, £2200 costs and £170 victim surcharge (the maximum victim surcharge) for the food business operator Prince Oliver (International) Ltd; and £500 fine, £1000 costs and £50 victim surcharge for the director of the Limited Company Mr Mehmet Mehmet.
