The owner of a Hertfordshire fish and chip shop has been fined £12,000 after breaching food safety regulations, including the failure to control pests.
Thangarajah Nesarajah of The Lemon Plaice in Bellgate, Hemel Hempstead, pleaded guilty to 11 charges at St Albans Magistrates’ Court.
It followed an inspection and subsequent investigation by Dacorum Borough Council’s Environmental Health officers.
As well as failure to ensure adequate procedures were in place to control pests, other charges included the failure to clean and maintain the condition of the premises, failure to comply with a Hygiene Improvement Notice served, and failure to put in place, implement and maintain a permanent procedure or procedures based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) principles.
Nesarajah was fined £5,000, and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £5,000 and a victim surcharge of £2,000. The total came to £12,000.
Emma Walker, group manager environmental and community protection (regulatory services), said: “Our officers work tirelessly conducting inspections to ensure that premises are complying with the required regulations. We take a strict approach in cases like this in line with our enforcement policy and, as shown, will send cases to court, if necessary.”
