A bakery which pleaded guilty to nine offences under Regulation 19 of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 has been fined £12,000.
Wyre Council investigated Dancing Fish Events Ltd – trading as Lawns Bakery in Fleetwood, Lancashire – and the hygiene offences were revealed during an inspection by Wyre's Environmental Health team on 16 January 2017.
Environmental health officers found a live mouse in the bakery, mouse droppings in the kitchen, mouse droppings on food contact equipment, dirty equipment and a lack of effective monitoring procedures within the business.
At Lancashire Magistrates’ Court sitting at Blackpool, the company was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £170 and full costs of £1,320.
Health and Community Engagement Portfolio Holder at Wyre Council, Councillor Vivien Taylor, said:
“Wyre Council takes food hygiene very seriously – and if premises don’t comply, I can assure you we will take action whenever and wherever necessary.”
The council says it inspects all food businesses – such as restaurants, take away premises, shops or mobile food vehicles – and after each inspection, businesses who sell food directly to the public are awarded a food hygiene rating.
In 2016-2017, out of a total of 1,116 food businesses in the borough, 93% were broadly compliant with food safety and hygiene regulations, the council said.
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