'We will not tolerate': Business hit with £22,000 fine after persistent food hygiene failures

'We will not tolerate': Business hit with £22,000 fine after persistent food hygiene failures

A shop and deli counter in Leigh has been hit with a significant fine, following repeated food hygiene failures that included out of date food and evidence of rodent activity.

Located on Leigh Road, Leigh Superstore is a large ground floor shop that sells cooked meats on its deli counter, as well as other chilled and frozen foods.

The business, which is registered as Uani Mini Market Ltd, was given a one-star food hygiene rating from Wigan Council’s environmental health officers in 2021, meaning major improvement was necessary.

Fulfilling their duties to inspect food serving businesses and protect public health, environmental health officers visited Leigh Superstore a further nine times, with the business reported to be non-compliant on each occasion.

During a compliance visit in November 2023, officers found that food in the deli unit was open past its use within date, while food in the refrigerators was past its use by date, between 2 and 61 days.

There was no hot running water in either of the shop’s wash basins on the day of the visit, while evidence of rodent activity was found in the first floor storeroom, which was also reported to be in a poor state of repair.

There was also no evidence of staff training or written food safety management systems in place on the day of the visit.

As a result of the failures, two hygiene improvement notices were served on the business. During follow up visits in December 2023 and February 2024, officers discovered that there was still no hot running water in certain areas of the shop and that the requirement for written procedures had not been complied with.

With the failures persisting over an extended period, the case was escalated by Wigan Council and the business was convicted at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court on Thursday 4th June.

The business was ordered to pay a total of £22,780. This consisted of a £20,000 fine due to the non-compliance of a hygiene improvement notice and out of date food. A victim surcharge of £2,000 and associated costs of £780 were also added to the total charge.

There is also an active proposal to strike the business from the official Companies House register.

Councillor Paul Kenny, portfolio holder for planning, environmental services, and transport, said: “The council’s environmental health officers work diligently to ensure that businesses across our borough comply with food hygiene standards and that residents have confidence in their purchases.

“As part of their inspection work, officers always try to support businesses and give them the time they need to make the necessary improvements. However, when failures are repeated over a significant length of time, it is only right that enforcement action follows.

“This conviction therefore sends a clear message that we will not tolerate businesses that repeatedly fail to meet basic food hygiene standards. Food safety is not optional, it is essential to protecting the health of our residents and visitors, and we will continue to take firm action against those who put the public at risk.”