Kirklees based catering suppliers fined after 27 food hygiene offences were found
On the 24 October 2024 Halal Catering Supplies BATLEY Ltd, of Unit 8 Beckside Trading Estate, Batley, pleaded guilty to 8 offences and Halal Catering Supplies Ltd of Units 5,6 & 7a Beckside Trading Estate, Batley pleaded guilty to 19 offences at Kirklees Magistrates Court. The offences were for failures to adhere to food hygiene legislation.
What happened?
Our Environmental Health Service visited the premises on Friday 8 March 2024 to carry out a food hygiene inspection of the approved premises which manufacture doner kebabs.
On arrival the Environmental Health Officers found an unregistered food business operating from Unit 8. The business was being run as part of the wholesale operation of Halal Catering Supplies.
On entering Unit 8, the Environmental Health Officers noted that it was a warehouse operation for foods such as spices, flour, tinned goods and drinks. Rodent activity and very poor levels of cleanliness were noted along with the following:
- Wet rat droppings on the mezzanine floor
- Rat droppings in the corner of the unit behind cans of pop
- Empty bait trays throughout the unit
- Split bait next to sauce bottles
- Bird droppings on the mezzanine floor
- A bird dropping contaminating paper food storage bags
- A decaying rodent carcass and flies stuck to a sticky board underneath a pallet of disposable drinks and other items
- Boxes of food containers contaminated with debris.
In addition to the health risk from the rat infestation other food hygiene offences were noted in Units 5, 6 & 7a where doner kebabs were being manufactured including:
- Dirty food premises and equipment
- Lack of temperature monitoring records
- Staff members not having adequate knowledge of food hygiene procedures
- A pallet of chicken that was over a year past its use by date with no information available to show where it had come from.
- Most products in the freezer were contaminated with dripping condensation from units in the freezer.
A Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice was served to close the food business in Unit 8 and the voluntary disposal of all unfit food was overseen by the Environmental Health Officers. The approval to produce doner kebabs and cold store products of animal origin was withdrawn from Halal Catering Supplies.
The businesses fully co-operated with the Environmental Health Officers by working to remove the rodent infestation and voluntarily disposing of all unfit food. Halal catering Supplies BATLEY Ltd registered the food business in Unit 8.
Councillor Munir Ahmed, Kirklees Council’s Cabinet member for Environment, said:
“Officers from Kirklees Council’s Environmental Team visited Halal Catering Supplies Ltd and Halal Catering Supplies BATLEY Ltd on 8 March 2024.
“The visit identified an imminent risk to public health due to rat infestations and numerous other food hygiene offences. As a result, a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice was served, the premises closed, and a successful prosecution was carried out. Since then, our Environmental Officers have worked with the business to assist it to meet the relevant food hygiene legislation.”
“Only when officers were completely satisfied that this business had reached the required safe standard of operation was it allowed to begin trading again.
“I would encourage all food and catering businesses in the borough to check they are meeting the food hygiene standards and that staff are properly trained to the appropriate level. Please do take advantage of the training our officers provide.”
On the 20 November 2024, at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court, Halal Catering Supplies BATLEY Ltd was fined £15,000, a surcharge of £2,000 and cost contribution of £2,270. Halal Catering Supplies Ltd was fined £4,000, a surcharge £1,600 and cost contribution of £2,270. The companies were credited for entering early guilty pleas but previous convictions were considered when determining the fines.
Since the failures were discovered, the businesses have made significant changes to their operations. There have been changes to the company directors, a suitably qualified individual has been employed full time to oversee food production, new documented food safety management systems have been put in place with the assistance of food safety officers, a strict food sampling programme has been implemented and the defective freezer has been re-built.
Halal Catering Supplies Ltd have successfully re-gained full approval to cold store products of animal origin and have recently been granted conditional approval to manufacture doner kebabs again.
Helping food and catering businesses in Kirklees understand food hygiene legislation
To help food and catering businesses in Kirklees understand food hygiene legislation, our Food Safety Team is offering a low cost two hour course called steps to success. This course is available in Dewsbury and Huddersfield, details below:
Steps to success food hygiene course for businesses:
10am – 12 noon or 1pm – 3pm, 13 January or 3 March 2025
Room 1C, Civic Centre 1, High Street, Huddersfield
10am – 12 noon or 1pm – 3pm, 14 January or 4 March 2025
Dewsbury Fire Station, 21 Carlton Road, Dewsbury, WF13 2AT
For more information contact Kirklees Council’s Food Safety Team by emailing food.safety@kirklees.gov.uk or call 01484 221000.