An overflowing fly trap and dirty aprons were among poor hygiene practices uncovered by inspectors at a Notts butcher’s shop.
C. Cassidy and Sons Ltd at 81 Watnall Road had two health inspections which both revealed numerous food safety and hygiene issues.
Ashfield District Council revealed these included using dirty equipment and utensils to prepare and serve food, dirty aprons worn by staff and a lack of food hygiene training.
The council’s Environmental Health team also discovered towel and hand soap dispensers were in a poor and dirty condition, and staff were serving on both the raw meats and ready to eat counter, which could lead to cross-contamination.
After one visit in January last year, owner Christopher Cassidy voluntarily closed the shop and the food hygiene rating score of the butchers was reduced to zero.
After the shop re-opened, officers revisited several times and a hygiene improvement notice was served in March 2016 which required food handlers and management to receive food hygiene training.
However, in July a further visit showed there were still problems relating to dirt and hygiene, and there was not an adequate food safety management system.
The shop was given a food hygiene score of one and the council took Cassidy to court.
He appeared before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on September 21, pleading guilty to ten offences under food hygiene regulations.
On October 12 he was ordered to pay a £1,500 fine and £4,671 in council costs.
Councillor Nicolle Ndiweni, Ashfield District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Safety said: “Food hygiene is of the utmost importance and breaches can potentially lead to severe harm for the public.
“In this case, there was a complete lack of basic cleaning and good food hygiene practices were not followed. Preparing food in a dirty environment is not just bad practice, it can lead to serious illness or even death.”
