Tooting: Mouse infested butcher shop forced to shut instantly and pay £16,000 fines

By Tommy Joyce 16th Jul 2021

Local News by Tommy Joyce 16th Jul 2021

A Tooting butcher shop has had to pay £16,000 worth of fines and be shut immediately due to its appalling cleanliness and hygeine.

Wandsworth Council carried out a spot inspection of Ary Halal Meat shop at 77 Upper Tooting Road and faced some of the worst standards of hygiene that they had ever witnessed.

Inspectors found food items covered in filth, mouse droppings and urine, and dead insects.

Food packaging had been chewed open by rodents, fixed up with tape, and left on sale to customers.

As a result, the business was closed instantly under emergency public health powers, due to the serious risk the shop held to its customers.

What happened in court

In court, the business owner Mr Mirza Baig admitted a series of food safety and hygiene breaches and was fined £3,337 and ordered to pay £3,170 in court and other costs.

Mr Baig's company Ary Halal Meat London Ltd also admitted the offences and was fined £6,500 plus £3,645 towards the council's prosecution costs and other financial penalties.

What the council has said

The council's food and safety manager Robin Ramen said: "The inspectors were truly shocked at the conditions they found. There were mouse droppings everywhere and foodstuffs on sale that were soaked in mouse urine.

"The shop was absolutely filthy from top to bottom and the conditions in which uncooked meat was being stored and prepared were appalling. Anyone buying food from this establishment was risking very serious illness."

Councillor Steffi Sutters added: "The owner of this business clearly put profits before public health.

"As a consequence of his failings and carelessness he has been hit with a very substantial fine. On top of this the reputation of his shop will have suffered a very damaging blow. This case should serve as a warning to other food retailers who think they can take a similarly cavalier attitude to the health and well-being of their customers."

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