City caterers fined £20,000 for filthy premises
The owners of a Birmingham catering firm were ordered to pay £20,560 after both pleaded guilty to 10 offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, at Birmingham Magistrates Court today (12 November 2015).
Mohammed Ali Shabir, 55, of Nansen Road, Saltley, and Nesar Ahmed, 46, of Burney Lane, Saltley, joint owners of N.A.S. Catering Services based at Cobham Business Centre, Burbidge Road, Bordesley Green, were each fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £560 towards court costs.
Birmingham City Council prosecuted Shabir and Ahmed after environmental health officers found filthy conditions and widespread mice activity throughout the premises during a routine inspection on 3 October 2014.
Officers issued a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice, as the conditions posed an imminent risk of injury to health, and the premises were formally closed. When they revisited the site on 7 October 2014, no evidence of mice activity was found and the schedule of works had been completed, so N.A.S. Catering Services was allowed to reopen.
Cllr Barbara Dring, Chair of the city council’s Licensing and Public Protection Committee, said: “Environmental health officers found mouse droppings throughout the premises, including the cooking area, dry store area and staff toilets.
“All food businesses in Birmingham are included in a regular inspection programme which is designed to ensure they all operate to a good standard, and firms that don’t comply with these strict standards will be prosecuted.
“Since officers closed N.A.S. Catering Services, they have worked with the business to ensure conditions are brought up to necessary standards, as required by legislation, to enable them to reopen.”
Following another routine inspection on 6 March 2015, no evidence of mice activity was found and the business received a rating of 2 (out of 5) under the FSA’s Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
ENDS
Media contact: Emma Brady, Press & PR Officer, on 0121 303 6969 or email emma.brady@birmingham.gov.uk
