A bakery in Fleetwood has been fined after the premises was found to be littered with mouse droppings.



The Home Bakery in Blakiston Street also had cooked meats stored at temperatures well above the approved level.

Home Bakery Ltd faced three offences brought under Food Safety and Hygiene legislation by Wyre Borough Council.

Mary Grimshaw prosecuting for the council said that the retail premises were inspected twice in three months during 2016.After the first inspection the outlet was given a two rating which advised that work needed to be carried out.

Owner Michael Reaper demanded the rating be looked at again but on the second inspection health officers found conditions to be worse.

Mouse droppings were found all over the premises – on pie trays and in a display cabinet.There was dirty equipment at the shop and one store room had holes in the ceiling and mould on the walls.

Floor surfaces were also dirty and the prosecutor said:”There was a failure to do effective clreaning and hygiene checks.”

Officers also did checks on food temperatures and meat was found at 13.3 C when it should be stored no higher than 8C.

Officers thought there was an imminent risk to public healthy Blackpool Magistrates heard and for reasons of public safety asked for the premises to close.

That was done on a voluntary basis and director Reaper was interviewed under caution during which he admitted he thought it was difficult to ask elderly female members of staff to get on their hands and knees and clean under surfaces and equipment.

Reaper said that £3,000 had been spent improving the premises which had re opened and that forms staff needed to fill in had been redesigned and made easier for staff to follow.

The magistrates were told that there had been staff failings which were “regrettable” but no food had been seized or complaints made about the food.

Magistrates fined Home Bakery £10,000 ordered it to pay £1558 costs and £170 victims surcharge.

Councillor Vivien Taylor, Cabinet member with responsibility for food hygiene at Wyre Council, said: “Wyre Council takes food hygiene very seriously and if premises don’t comply I can assure you we will take action whenever and wherever necessary.”

All food businesses such as restaurants, take away premises, shops or mobile food vehicles are visited and inspected by Wyre Council. After each inspection businesses who sell food directly to the public are awarded a food hygiene rating. You can check the food hygiene ratings of every food business in Wyre at ratings.food.gov.uk.

Councillor Taylor added: “I’d like to encourage members of the public to check food hygiene ratings before eating out or shopping for food.”