Hygiene fines for six restaurants

Rats, roaches and plant life in the walls - six Birmingham venues fined thousands for hygiene horrors

Tom Cramp - Local Democracy Reporter | Thursday 16th March 2023 9:49am

Six food venues in Birmingham were given hefty fines for a series of hygiene breaches at the end of 2022. Penalty charges of up to £14,000 were dished out amid reports of rat droppings, cockroach activity, and a host of other poor food safety practices.

Inspections from Birmingham City Council’s environmental health department led to the fines being handed out in November and December last year. Below is a list of the six venues ordered to pay thousands after appearing on the department’s radar for all the wrong reasons:

The Woodhouse, Acocks Green

The Woodhouse cafe on Olton Boulevard East was ordered to pay £6,810 in December after two visits from environmental health saw evidence of ‘extensive rat activity’ in the kitchen.

Flies were seen throughout the premises along with evidence that rodents had ‘gnawed through’ freezers and gained access to the inside.

An environmental health report said: “The business was dirty and structurally in poor condition. Clean crockery including bowls and plates was found to contain debris and hair. Takeaway containers had fallen behind equipment and were contaminated with rat droppings.

“Walls were dirty and greasy. Chopping boards were heavily scored and ingrained with mould. An open tub of cooked prawns was defrosting in the white fridge below raw meat. Raw salmon was stored next to ready-to-eat cheese and above ready-to-eat salads and cream.”

Al Fursan, Sparkbrook

A penalty charge totalling £7,000 was given to Al Fursan on Stratford Road in November after inspectors found ‘plant life growing in the wall’.

Other issues at the restaurant were the ‘poor and inadequate storage of meat carcasses’ in the walk-in chiller. Operators Yemeni Oasis Restaurant Ltd. pleaded guilty to 12 offences of breaching food safety and hygiene regulations.

Environmental health said: “Food was not protected against contamination, there was food in open food containers on the floor of the kitchen. Raw liver was in the countertop chiller unit adjacent to pulses and cooked chicken. The metal racks used on the charcoal grill were dirty with a heavy build-up of grease.”

Chucky’s Chippy, Sparkbrook

This takeaway on Stratford Road was ordered to pay £9,379 in November after pleading guilty to ten hygiene offences.

Environmental health said it found evidence of cockroach activity with gaps in the structure allowing ‘cockroach ingress’, as well as blackened chopping boards.

It added that flooring, chillers, shelving, hand contact points, walls, pipework, a wash hand basin and sink, a preparation table, a gas cooker and a fryer, were all found to be dirty.

The Grain Bakery, Edgbaston

Again in November, The Grain Bakery on Proctor Street was slapped with a £10,529 penalty after it was found guilty of 12 offences relating to sanitation conditions including evidence of mouse droppings and easy access for pests.

Environmental health said: “The premises was dirty with food debris and grease. The ceiling in the bakery had a leak. Food was not covered during storage to protect it from contamination.

“A whisk used to whisk raw shell egg was placed on a yellow chopping board which was also used to chop ready-to-eat bread and store ready-to-eat tuna.”

Royal Bakeries, Aston

A total of 16 offences were found at this bakery on Electric Avenue in November as it received the biggest fine out of all six venues. The initial £12,000 fine later became £14,889 after costs were awarded.

Inspectors found the standard of cleaning to be ‘poor throughout’ on three separate visits. Equipment was reportedly dirty and damaged, food was not protected against contamination, lids were missing from storage bins, and a bowl containing flour was dirty.

The bakery has now permanently closed.

Soho Sweets and Coffee House, Soho

Cockroach activity was found in the food prep area at Soho Sweets and Coffee House on Soho Road, which led to a £7,492 penalty charge related to conditions at the venue in December.

Inspectors said the premises was ‘not kept clean’ and found dirty skirting boards, paint flaking off the walls inside the walk-in chiller, and dirty floors, walls, pipework, a gas cooker, and shelving beneath the microwave.

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