Two Caithness Takeaways Closed By Highland Council Environmental Health
3rd October 2018
Joint operation identifies poor standards of food safety and staff living accommodation.
Highland Council Environmental Health Officers were required to take formal enforcement action regarding poor standards of food safety during a recent multi-agency operation led by Immigration Enforcement. Concerns were also uncovered regarding poor standards found within staff living accommodation.
Visits were undertaken to three takeaway premises in Alness on Wednesday 26 September, and a further 5 premises in Wick and Thurso on Thursday 27 September 2018.
The principal issues identified were poor food handling practices in respect of preventing cross contamination and the lack of any proper food safety management system. Formal Remedial Action Notices were served on the food business operators for
Sweet & Spicy, Novar Road, Alness;
Bengal Spice, High Street, Alness;
Bombay Spice Bridge Street, Wick;
Shelina Spice, Provost Sinclair Road, Thurso.
The Remedial Action Notices required the closure of the premises until such time as the issues identified were satisfactorily addressed.
A further concern identified was the poor standard of staff accommodation linked to several takeaway premises, with properties failing to meet the Repairing Standard or the Highland Council requirements for Houses in Multiple Occupation. Where staff accommodation is being provided by employers it is essential that they ensure it meets all the legislative requirements for such rented accommodation and maintain it in a safe condition for the occupants
Gregor MacCormick, Highland Council's Senior Environmental Health Officer, said:"The standard of food safety found within a number of the takeaway premises visited was found to be poor and in these circumstances our Service will not hesitate to take formal enforcement action to ensure public health.
"All food business operators require having a food safety management system (FSMS) in place and staff who have received adequate food hygiene training. It is essential that suitable steps are implemented to prevent the risk of cross contamination between raw and cooked foods in takeaway premises such as these where high risk food stuffs are being prepared. A FSMS helps to generate a system that encourages safe food production and gives peace of mind to the business owners.
“Our Service would urge all food businesses to ensure they have a food safety management system such as “Cooksafe" in place, otherwise risk similar formal enforcement action requiring to be taken."
The Council's Environmental health Service will continue to work in partnership with Immigration Enforcement and other relevant agencies to conduct such interventions in the future in an effort to improve standards.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
The information provided is a summary of reports from operational staff and is intended to give a general indication of typical conditions in each area at a point in time. It is not intended to imply that any individual route is entirely snow and ice free and drivers must be aware that conditions can change rapidly and make their own assessment of conditions for travelling.
Households across Scotland have received £4.1 billion in relief since the Council Tax Reduction scheme was introduced in 2013. People on low incomes are eligible for the benefit if they live in Scotland - there is no equivalent in England where most councils require each household to contribute a minimum amount of council tax, irrespective of ability to do so.
The Highland Council is preparing to carry out improvement works in Thurso at Ormlie Road and at The Mall riverside path adjacent to Janet Street. The scope of works on Ormlie Road will include junction improvements between Castlegreen Road and Juniper Drive with new drop kerbs and tactile paving and some surface repairs.
A Highland-wide partnership launched earlier in 2024 to support people on their journey towards, into and within employment is looking forward to a New Year in 2025 full of exciting opportunities designed to help hundreds more people across the Highlands unlock their work potential. Work.
The Highland Council is delighted to share that its Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Scheme has won the Outstanding Project Award at the Scottish Green Energy Awards. Described by Scottish Renewables as a "pioneering clean power scheme", this £7 million project demonstrates the incredible impact that can be achieved through combined public and private sector investment.
The ambitious yet focused ‘Highland Investment Plan' is committed to addressing our asset challenges over the next twenty years. By using a place based approach, to ensure a more integrated community offering through the creation of new community facilities.
Applications to the Inverness Winter Payments Scheme, which is fully funded by the Inverness Common Fund, have already been awarded to 1,035 eligible households within the 7 specified Inverness Wards. Leader of Inverness Area, Councillor Ian Brown said: "Since the Scheme was opened to applications for this winter, already £114,885 has been awarded to people who live in the eligible Wards of Aird and Loch Ness, Inverness West, Inverness Central, Inverness Ness-side, Inverness Millburn, Culloden and Ardersier and Inverness South Wards.
The first Highland-wide virtual jobs fair held last month has proved to be a hit with participants and businesses. The week-long virtual event, which was delivered by the Local Employability Partnership for the West - The Highland Council, Skills Development Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Department for Work and Pensions, Developing the Young Workforce and UHI North West and Hebrides was timed to coincide with Scottish Careers Week 2024.
