Kirklees takeaway owner fined for food hygiene offences
A Heckmondwike takeaway owner has been fined over £1000 leading to a warning from us that any business not complying with Environment Health rules could face prosecution.
How much were they fined?
Mr Jian Lin Wang, age 53, is the food business operator of Taste of China, Market Street, Heckmondwike, pleaded guilty to food hygiene offences on 2 February 2024 at Kirklees Magistrates Court. He was fined £1000 with a £400 surcharge and £1,209.54 costs.
Environmental Health Officers visited the premises on 24 January 2023. The premises has a poor history of compliance and Mr Wang had signed a caution previously admitting to similar offences.
What happened?
When Officers visited in January 2023 they found dirty conditions, which included the structure, floor and surfaces and also equipment. Cross contamination issues were also found, with a container of cooked rice touching a box of raw prawns on the sink drainer. A small number of rat droppings were found behind a chest freezer in the cellar and there were a number of dead and live flies in the cellar. Freezers and food packaging were stored in the cellar at the time of the visit.
When Officers carried out a revisit on 16 February cooked food and ready to eat prawn crackers were stored in greasy cardboard boxes.
Previous inspections carried out by inspectors indicated that similar issues had been raised with regard to cleaning, cross contamination and incompletion of a written food safety management system.
Despite repeated efforts from our Environmental Health Officers to support Mr Wang to make the improvements needed and run his business in line with food safety regulations, records show a history of non-compliance at the premises dating back to 2018. In mitigation Mr Wang sited health reasons.
Councillor Aafaq Butt, Cabinet member for Culture and Greener Kirklees, said:
“Despite the best efforts of our committed Environmental Health Officers, unfortunately Mr Wang has failed to follow the professional advice given to him and has continued to put the safety of his customers’ health at risk.
“We take a supportive approach to help businesses follow Environment Health regulations across Kirklees, and we are here to help and guide those who want to engage with us. I hope that this prosecution serves as a warning to those breaching the law that we will not tolerate health and safety breaches which put our residents at risk.”
Report it
Any business owners who need advice or support with food safety can email food.safety@kirklees.gov.uk or telephone 01484 221000.
Anyone with concerns about food safety in Kirklees should contact food.safety@kirklees.gov.uk.