Bury St Edmunds food business fined over hygiene offences

The manager of a Bury St Edmunds bakery is facing a court bill of more than £7,000 after pleading guilty to 13 food hygiene offences.

Stephen Farleigh, of The Court Patisserie, in Glastonbury Road, was fined £5,200 for the offences, £1,851 costs and a £40 victim surcharge at Ipswich Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Farleigh was represented by his daughter Jemma Farleigh, who outlined improvements that had been made to the business following an inspection on February 27 by an environmental health officer for West Suffolk Councils.

At the inspection poor standards were found which included no documented food safety management system, staff with no food hygiene training, poor cleaning and housekeeping, poor structure, and no hot water provided to the wash hand basins in the staff WCs.

After the inspection the business was given a food hygiene rating of zero meaning urgent improvement was necessary.

Since Farleigh took over the business in 2001, ratings given following inspections have ranged from zero to three, which is classed as generally satisfactory.

Magistrates said the local authority had been 'extremely patient' with Farleigh and offered advice which had not been accepted, and the business entered into a 'downward spiral'.

Since the inspection, further visits have shown that 'significant improvements' have been made.