A chicken shop in north London was slapped with hefty fines for its “horrific” hygiene failings after inspectors found live cockroaches in its kitchen.
The owner of Poppin Chicken, in Enfield, ignored warnings about the shop’s cleanliness dating back to 2012, with council workers finding a cockroach infestation, flies, and cheese being stored at dangerous temperatures.
Inspectors also spotted a live cockroach funning across the food preparation area when they visited in August last year.
Director Sajikanth Thananayagam agreed to close the shop due to the “imminent risk to the public’s health”.
Poppin Chicken and Mr Thananayagam were also ordered to pay a total of £5,239.11 at a hearing at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, May 26.
Cllr Daniel Anderson said: “It is extremely worrying when workers in a takeaway restaurant can’t see what is wrong with a live cockroach crawling across a food preparation area and it was only right that this establishment was closed and prosecuted for some quite horrific hygiene failings.
“We have a duty to build strong communities and protect the public from harm and will therefore not hesitate in taking firm action against any business that can’t be bothered to adhere to the most basic hygiene standards.
“It is not acceptable by any standards to expose diners to the risk of food poisoning and this sentence sends out a clear message that such behaviour will not be tolerated.”
Poppin Chicken was fined £1,500, ordered to pay costs of £1,354 and a victim surcharge of £150 while Mr Thananayagam was fined £800, ordered to pay costs of £1,354 and an £80 victim surcharge.
The takeaway was ordered to close and reopened three days later when a food safety officer re-inspected the premises and declared himself happy with the improvements made.
Read More
MORE ABOUT