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Bakery owners fined for dirt and grease

A COUPLE who run a bakery in Llanbrynmair have been fined £5,000 after the equipment used was found to be dirty with black dough and grease.

Alan and Isobel Thomas of Talerddig Bakery pleaded guilty to five offences under food safety legislation in a prosecution led by Powys County Council at Welshpool Magistrates Court on Friday, 19 February, and were fined £2,500 each.

They were also ordered to pay costs of £1,428, and a victim surcharge, between them.

Magistrates heard that the council’s environmental health officers visited the bakery (pictured) on 30 July, 2009, following two previous visits to the premises that year, and found the bakery in a dirty condition.

Equipment throughout the premises was found was found to be dirty, with a build-up of black dough and grease, and food was at risk of being contaminated by dirt, broken equipment and flies.

It became apparent that there was a failure to maintain food management procedures on site.

The couple pleaded guilty to the five charges under the Food Hygiene (Wales) Regulations 2006, which were: failure to have in place a food safety management system; failure to keep the premises clean and in good repair and condition; failure to ensure that articles, fittings and equipment with which food comes into contact clean; failure to keep articles, fittings and equipment with which food comes into contact in good repair and condition; and failure to ensure that food is protected from risks of contamination.

Cllr Graham Brown, Powys County Council’s Board member for public protection, welcomed the court’s verdict, and said: “This particular case sends out a stark warning to all food business operators of the penalties they may face if they do not comply with food safety legislation, fail to maintain food safety procedures and put the health of the public at risk.”