Little shop of horrors

The sink surround was covered in dirt

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Mouse droppings in the chiller, on equipment, on shelving and on the shop floor helped serve up an £8,000 fine for the owners of a “shocking and horrifying” food store yesterday.

Other nasty surprises for environmental health inspectors at Ismail and Adam Superstore, formerly Bangla Bazaar in Chadderton Way, included chiller walls stained with blood, Oldham magistrates court heard.

The sink in the food preparation area and the floor were dirty, a chest freezer lid was badly cracked and another appliance was covered in dust, sawdust and debris. There was an uncontrolled mouse infestation since the the store had failed to follow advice given by an exterminator on several occasions.

Owners Rashid Mahmood and Munauar Hussain pleaded guilty to six hygiene offences. District Judge Khalid Quereshi ordered them to pay two fines of £3,000, costs of £1,836 and a £600 surcharge.

He said: “It’s vitally important that health and safety is complied with to the letter. I understand the difficult financial position you are in but stores have to be run properly, if not they should be shut down.

“Having examined the photos it is patently obvious that the standards are far below what was required.

“Any member of the public would have been shocked and horrified at what was going on. No skill or knowledge was needed — this is just basic hygiene.”

Mahmood and Hussain cited ongoing financial issues and early guilty pleas as mitigating circumstances and have also implemented staff training to ensure hygiene standards are maintained.