UK restaurant owner fined for lack of food safety plan, infractions

Abdul Roshik, who runs the Little India restaurant in Tudor Square, Tenby, (that’s in the U.K.) was fined £3,500 by Haverfordwest Magistrates on December 20th following a 2009 E. coli O157 outbreak that sickened five.

However, as reported in the Western Telegraph, no evidence was found to suggest that the restaurant was the cause of the outbreak.

During the inspections it became apparent to officers that the business had no documented Food Safety Management System. This is a legal requirement to assist food businesses manage food safety risks.

Other transgressions included: ready to eat foods placed next to raw meat in the refrigerator; no soap or towel provided at the wash hand basin; large quantities of cooked chicken and cooked rice; left out at room temperatures for prolonged periods.

The court was told that the association of the premises with the cases of E. coli and the offences discovered, resulted in Roshik voluntarily closing the restaurant for a time to address the unsatisfactory matters.

As well as the fine of £3,500, he was ordered to pay Pembrokeshire County Council £1,250 – half of its investigative costs. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £15.