Bakery fined £3,430 over dirty equipment (From Thisisdorset)

Bakery fined £3,430 over dirty equipment

12:49pm Saturday 26th April 2008 in

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A BAKERY that supplies food to 49 Dorset businesses was found to contain unacceptable levels of dirt, a court heard.

Liesa and Roger Seed, owners of Charmouth Bakery, were fined £3,430 by Weymouth magistrates for failing to keep their premises and equipment clean.

Mrs Seed, 47, and Mr Seed, 41, also admitted failing to implement a permanent procedure based on food hygiene standards.

The court heard that the industrial wholesale bakery run by the couple bakes bread, rolls and cakes and cooks pre-prepared goods such as pies and pasties.

The cooked items are then distributed to retailers and caterers in the Charmouth, Bridport, Lyme Regis and Axminster areas.

Prosecutor Roger Greene, acting for West Dorset District Council, said environmental health inspectors had found Charmouth Bakery dirty during regular inspections since September 2006.

He added: "After each visit a letter has been sent outlining work that needs to be carried out to the premises.

"There have been minimal attempts at compliance with work being slow. Areas have been cleaned only for them to fall back into a state of uncleanliness."

Mr Greene said damaged ceilings were found on a visit on October 12 2007 and no measures were in place to monitor the cooking of pies and pasties.

"The cleaning of the premises and equipment was poor and there were unacceptable levels of dirt in places," he said.

Mr Seed told the health inspector that staff hadn't been trained in food hygiene matters and it was some time since he and his wife had undergone training, the court heard.

Conditions at the bakery were found to have improved on November 19 2007, Mr Greene said, but the floor was still dirty under tables and ovens. He added: "No maintenance work had been carried out and mixers were still dirty with dough."

Magistrates heard that Mr and Mrs Seed moved to Dorset from Blackburn in 1987 and took over Charmouth Bakery in 2004.

Raymond Peters, defending, said: "The premises are somewhat old and they've done what they can to improve them.

"Over the last three years they've spent £7,000 to £10,000 on improving the business. A considerable amount of improvements have been made.

"They've done their best, but realise with hindsight that they should have got their act together sooner."

The couple were sentenced separately by magistrates for the same three offences.

They were each fined £600 for failing to keep their premises clean, £600 for failing to keep their equipment clean and £15 as a victim surcharge.

They were each ordered to pay £500 costs to West Dorset District Council.