Little shop of horrors

A VILE sight greeted health officers when they inspected a butchery in Walthamstow High Street.

Inspectors were horrified to find slabs of meat left on dirty tables and even pigeons feeding in the food preparation area.

The owner of HMP London Ltd was this week ordered to cough up more than £11,500 by magistrates after being taken to court by the council environmental health department.

The hefty fine signals a stark warning to food retailers that environmental health officers will not tolerate unacceptable hygiene standards. Len Norton, head of environmental services, said: "We need to drive home the message that no one will be allowed to gamble with another person's health."

Shakeel Maqsood, a director of HMP, was prosecuted after council environmental health inspectors found disgusting and filthy conditions, when they visited his premises, off Mission Grove, last March.

Pigeons were found in food preparation areas, and in the ceiling cavity. Inspectors also found rats entered the building through defective drainpipes.

Waltham Forest magistrates fined Maqsood £4,000, and ordered him to pay £7,670 in costs after he pleaded guilty to four serious food hygiene offences.

Although the company went into liquidation before the trial, Mr Maqsood was still summoned to answer charges.

Mr Norton added: "The heavy fine should signal to food businesses that the council and courts are serious and that it is in their best interests to work with the council to improve and maintain food hygiene standards.

"Any premises that sell or provide food must practise acceptable hygiene standards. The council will prosecute when the rules are broken because poisoning and diseases can be spread by unhygienic food handling."

Mr Maqsood was charged under the General Food Hygiene Regulations 1995 and the Food Safety Act 1990. Food inspectors visited 1,261 businesses in the borough last year.

Any businesses with concerns should contact the council for advice and guidance.

For more information telephone the council's environmental health department on 020 8496 3000.

09:24 Thursday 23rd May 2002

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