Mahfuz Raha, boss of the Preem Indian restaurant and take-away in Newtown pleaded guilty to flouting food hygiene rules
The boss of a restaurant where staff splashed bloody water on work surfaces has been fined for a string of food hygiene offences.
Mahfuz Raha, operator of the Preem Indian restaurant and take-away in Newtown, Powys, pleaded guilty to nine offences and was fined more than £1,900 at Llandrindod Wells magistrates' court yesterday.
The court heard the county council’s environmental health officers visited the restaurant in August on three occasions after finding “unacceptable standards of cleanliness in the kitchen and food storage areas”.
Food preparation equipment and the inside of the refrigerators were found to be in a dirty condition.
They said food handling standards were poor, with staff failing to wash their hands after handling raw food.
Controls were not in place to prevent cross-contamination of foods, and staff were seen splashing bloody water on work surfaces and using dirty cloths to wipe surfaces.
Mouldy garlic was also found in a fridge.
The environmental health team found “unfit food” was being served.
Mr Raha had failed to implement a food safety management system and had not registered with the local authority - despite running the premises for two years.
Environmental officers issued the restaurant with a remedial action notice to stop all food preparation activities at the premises due to the risk of cross-contamination.
The restaurant was closed as officers worked with staff to ensure they complied with the notice in full.
After the three visits in August it was allowed to serve food again a couple of days after the final visit.
In court magistrates fined Mr Raha £1,350 for the nine offences and ordered him to pay £500 costs and a £135 victim surcharge.
Speaking after the case council spokesman Paul Griffiths said: “Premises that prepare and serve food to the public have a responsibility to ensure that their premises comply with food hygiene regulations.
“In this instance, the required standards were not met and the action taken by our food safety officers reflects the severity of the conditions found.
“All food business operators should take notice of the penalties they may face when they do not comply with food hygiene regulations.”
"We are now hoping to have a minimum of 4-5 stars"
Mr Raha told the Daily Post: "We had a health visit in August and a health inspector came down about jobs needing to be done.
"When they came back they were not satisfied with what we had done.
"They came to revisit. They are now happy with it.
"We have applied for a revisit from an inspector and there was a re-inspection on February 5.
"They are quite happy.
"We are now hoping to have a minimum of 4-5 stars.
"Everything is up to standard. We have had to apply for a re-inspection.
"They don't tell you and we are waiting for a re-inspection. They are happy but they have to come back."
http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/mahfuz-raha-preem-powys-indian--12819477
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