£2,000 food hygiene fine for Shields takeaway boss

Hamed Norouzi, 34, of Chinchillas takeaway in Ocean Road, South Shields, pleaded not guilty to 11 offences under The Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 in a case taken by South Tyneside Council Environmental Health’s Food Safety Team.

Magistrates found him guilty of failing to keep his premises and food equipment clean and in good repair, failing to maintain floor, wall and other surfaces in good repair and failing to protect food from contamination.

He also failed to provide hand drying facilities at a hand wash basin, did not have adequate procedures in place to prevent pests and did not provide up-to-date food safety management documentation.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £700.

A spokesperson for the Council said: “We have a duty to ensure that food is prepared in clean, hygienic conditions. In this particular case, standards fell short of the required standard and we are pleased that the seriousness of these offences have been reflected in the significant fine given by magistrates.”