Extremely bad hygeine conditions found in Hull fish and chip shop

The owners of a Hull takeaway shop have been fined £12,000 for "some of the worst food safety offences" encountered by the city council's inspectors.

Karamjit Sangha and Jaswinder Sangha pleaded guilty at Hull Magistrates' Court to 12 food safety offences at The Fish Shop in Askew Avenue. Environmental health officers who visited the premises in June found live maggots and mouldy food in the kitchen. The conditions posed "an imminent risk to health" and the shop was shut down.

Norma Cottis, divisional manager for environmental health, said: "The standard of cleanliness and associated pest problems found during this visit were some of the worst environmental health officers have encountered. It left the officers with little alternative other than to close the business in order to protect public health and was demonstrated by the level of fine imposed by the magistrates."

A council spokesman said that during the inspection, live insect larvae were found in a refrigerator and on the floor of the chipping room. Flies were also found on the floor, work surfaces and on uncovered food. Mouldy food was found in a fridge, food was being inadequately reheated and food handlers were found to have no food hygiene training.

Mrs Sangha said during the visit that she and her husband had recently bought the business and had not looked at the conditions inside before the transaction.

She said the day of the inspection was the first time she had been inside the shop.

In sentencing, the magistrates took into account the defendants' guilty plea, although they also stressed the serious risk to the public.

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