York food takeaway fined £3.6K for hygiene offences

A York pizza business that repeatedly violated hygiene regulations has been fined a total £3,640.

The director of a takeaway pizza business and the limited company owning it, have both been found guilty of five food hygiene offences and have been fined a total £3,640 at York Magistrates Court yesterday (23 June).

Mamaz Pizzeria Takeaway Ltd on Acomb Road was first visited by City of York Council food safety officers on March 10, 2015 as part of a routine, unannounced inspection.

A food hygiene rating of 1 was awarded along with a letter that advised major improvements were necessary.

The business was revisited on May 6, 2015 when standards were found not to have improved and a hygiene improvement notice was served.

Among the hygiene offences uncovered were tubs of yoghurt not stored in the fridge and raw and ready to eat foods stored next to each other risking cross contamination.

Also there was no wash hand basin at the front of the premises where raw meat was cooked and served.

A third visit was made on in July when standards were found to be better but the hand basin had not been fitted.

Cross contamination

Five offences were levied against the company. Director Yasar Altin, of Crombie Avenue, York, pleaded not guilty at York Magistrates’ Court on May 23.

Although this was the limited company at the time of the offences, Altin resigned as a director prior to the hearing and the limited company has a new director.

However, both Altin and the limited company were each fined a total of £1,820: fines of £770 for the combined five offences plus costs of £1,050.

Another inspection in March 2016 raised the food hygiene rating to 2. The business has now left the premises.

Council leader Cllr David Carr said: