Sharon’s Bakery ordered to pay £28,000 for mice and cockroach infestation

Mice have gnawed through chocolate (Image: Archant)

Bension Nassim, director of Sharon’s Bakery UK Ltd and Shuki Mozes, the firm’s general manager, were ordered to pay £28,000 after widespread mice and cockroach infestations were discovered at its two Hackney branches.

The shops in Stamford Hill and Woodberry Down were closed immediately following unannounced visits by Hackney Council’s environmental health officers in June and July last year.

A fine of £8000 was imposed at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday May 15 for breaching food hygiene regulations and £20,000 costs were awarded to Hackney Council.

At Stamford Hill cockroach and mouse droppings were found in the kitchen and storage rooms, on shelving and on packets of food, and cardboard boxes and crates used to transport bread and cakes were littered with mouse droppings.

There was also extensive grease and dirt built up behind and between equipment, pipe work, the cooking range, and greasy and dusty ventilation canopy filters as well as ingrained dirt on food containers and packages.

At Woodberry Down inspsectors found wide spread mouse infestation, a gnawed block of chocolate and layers of dirt, blackened grime and mouse droppings on pots and trolleys used to move fresh bread.

After carrying out work, including pest treatment and proofing, both branches opened again soon after, but in November evidence of mice and cockroaches were found again at the Stamford Hill Branch.

Mr Mozes said: “The inspector who came in stated clearly that it was found in hard to reach areas, since then we have changed everything around and improved a million times.”