Ravensthorpe food business fined thousands for serious food hygiene offences
A Ravensthorpe business has been fined over £7,000 after being found guilty of serious food hygiene offences.
What was the business found guilty of?
Soha Enterprise Ltd failed to send representatives to attend court on three occasions, and were found guilty in their absence of seven offences on 11 July.
Raja’s at 676 Huddersfield Road, Ravensthorpe, Dewsbury was found to have committed food hygiene offences following a routine inspection on 25 April 2018.
What was found at the premises?
Environmental Health Officers visiting the premises found evidence of a rat infestation in the food storage and preparation areas. A Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice was issued and the premises was immediately closed.
Cllr Rob Walker, Cabinet Member for Culture and Environment said:
“The fact that this company sent no representatives to attend court showed a blatant disregard for the law.
They failed to keep the premises clean and maintained in a good repair and condition and failed to ensure that adequate procedures were in place to control pests, putting public health at risk.
This behaviour is unacceptable and we will not tolerate this.”
Was the business fined?
Soha Enterprise Ltd was also found guilty of failing to notify us of who the food business operator for the establishment was. The company was fined £7000 fine, £754.91 investigation costs, £400 legal costs and £100 surcharge.
Has the business re-opened?
Following appropriate pest control treatment to eradicate the infestation and a full disinfection, the premises were permitted to re-open on 30 April 2018.
There must be in place a law that the fine is not on the business itself but on the owners and if they have set up a new business venture the fine etc can be paid by issuing necessary warrant for the bailiff be instructed to remove property or a warrant for the owners be given a prison sentence in failure to stand by the law of the land which they seem to ignore these completely .
Soha Enterprise have applied for the company to be dissolved and the owner has already set up another company. I assume the fines will not be paid as Soha will no longer exist. What can be done to stop this owner from carrying on flaunting hygiene laws?
K M C SHOULD END CONTACT WITH THIS COMPANY IT IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE TO SUPPLY SCHOOLS AND THE CHILDREN FOOD THAT NOT FIT TO EAT.
I PERSONALLY I WOULD SEEK LEGAL ACTION IF THEY WERE MY CHILDREN THAT WAS SERVED THIS UN HYGIENIC FOOD.
They would never eat food supplied at school again.
A correct proper control must be maintained or multiply the existing fine each time a health hazard occurs.
Council are responsible to check and report failures in health related killers.