Stafford cafe owner hit with fine after mould found in fridge
A dirty cafe on an industrial estate has been told to pay nearly £2,000 after mould was found growing inside the fridge.
Stafford Borough Council investigated the shop and cafe on Airfield Industrial Estate in Hixon, near Stafford, after a complaint by a customer they had become ill after eating at the premises.
The Airfield Shop/Cafe owner Jacqueline Hall, 54, admitted three offences relating to not keeping her premises and equipment clean.
She was fined £900 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs with a victim surcharge of £30 last Monday.
The court in Newcastle Under Lyme was told chopping boards used to prepare food were dirty, the fridge was damaged and had debris and mould growth inside it, raw food was stored next to cooked foods and an opened packet of corned beef in the fridge had passed its use by date.
Simon Turner, prosecuting for Stafford Borough Council said: “The inspection by Environmental Health was in response to a complaint referred to the council.
"A customer had alleged illness from eating at the premises and had complained about the poor standard of cleanliness there.”
Chest freezers, the floor and cooker were also found to be dirty during the inspection last September.
The court was told Ms Hall intended to close her business as it had been trading at a loss and she had been ‘let down’ by staff regarding cleaning.
The owner was unavailable for comment.
