A restaurant in Bury Park was prosecuted and fined for cockroaches ‘running up the walls’, and other breaches of food hygeine regulations.
Laziza Ltd – trading as Buffet Lounge – pleaded guilty to 6 food hygiene offences at Luton Magistrates court on Monday, January 14.
The Buffet Lounge, in Dunstable Road, received intensive advice and coaching from council food officers as part of the Bury Park Project in 2011.
Despite this, food officers discovered serious breaches of the hygiene regulations during a routine inspection in May of last year.
The business owner decided to close and make improvements before re-opening the following month, once food safety officers were satisfied the issues were under control.
However, during a revisit in September 2012, officers saw more evidence of poor food hygiene.
Raw food was stored amongst cooked food and bottled drinks, and ready to eat food was found at temperatures that could allow harmful bacteria to grow.
Laziza Ltd was fined £6,000 in total, plus £15 victim surcharge, and instructed to pay Council costs of £524.
Councillor Mohammed Ashraf said: “Hygiene laws set out basic standards any food business should be able to meet, with minimal expense and effort.
“There is no excuse for any business to place public health at risk.”
The business is still trading and receiving regular visits from food safety officers to check on hygiene standards.