Harold Wood takeaway owner fined

A TAKEAWAY owner has been fined �1,750 by Havering magistrates after admitting seven breaches of the Food Hygiene Regulations.

Aros Ali, who runs the Jasmine Takeaway from platform 4 of Harold Wood Station, Gubbins Lane, was fined �250 per offence on Thursday, November 25.

Havering Council officers visited the takeaway in April this year for a routine, unannounced inspection.

They found a filthy towel at the kitchen wash basin, poor record keeping of hygiene checks and staff admitting they had not washed their hands before handling food.

Staff employed by Ali also said they did not understand the importance of basic checks of stored foods, admitting that they smelled food to check it was safe but did not understand how to check fridge and food temperatures. The owner had also failed to provide adequate, hygienic hand washing facilities.

Council officers had previously visited in September 2009 and found staff were not trained properly and that the written food safety procedures, required by law, were not in place.

The owner had been warned about hygiene problems over several years during inspections. Although these issues were often dealt with at the time, subsequent inspections found standards would slip again.

Councillor Lesley Kelly, Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “This takeaway was putting the health of Havering residents at risk and it’s important that all catering businesses understand the seriousness of these offences.

Ali was also ordered to pay �2,183.60 towards the council’s costs and a �15 victim surcharge.