Prosecution Of Dragon Grill Kebab Shop For Not Displaying Its Food Hygiene Rating Of A 1

The owner of a local kebab shop has been heavily fined for refusing to display his current Food Hygiene Rating Scheme sticker. Mahmut Kinili, owner of Dragon Grill, situated on Bridge Street in Troedyrhiw, was fined a total of £590 including costs for failure to pay a fixed penalty, issued under Section 9 of the Food Hygiene (Wales) Act 2013. The fixed penalty was issued to Mr. Kinili for failing to display a valid food hygiene rating, which was given to him following a food hygiene inspection in January of this year. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dragon Grill was inspected by MTCBC an Environmental Health Inspector on 27th January and it was identified that major improvements were necessary. A notice was served on Mr. Kinili instructing him to carry out a number of works to bring the premise up to the standard required. In addition, he was instructed that he must conspicuously display a food hygiene rating of 1 at the entrance to the premise. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Despite a formal letter instructing Mr. Kinili to prominently display his rating of 1, when Mrs. Rapson carried out a revisit in April 2016 she discovered that Mr. Kinili was displaying an old sticker which gave the appearance that he had achieved a 5 rating. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mr. Kinili was issued with a fixed penalty notice for failing to display his rating sticker, however, the fine was not paid. The matter was then passed to the Magistrates court for consideration. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mrs. Susan Gow, Environmental Health Manager said ‘The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme is mandatory and the majority of food business operators in Merthyr Tydfil proudly display their score for customers to see the good work that goes on in the kitchen to produce safe food. Even those businesses still working on raising their score have to comply with the requirements of the scheme and display their rating and again, almost all comply. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

I know that members of the public in Merthyr are behind the scheme as it enables them to make an educated choice about the food they eat and the food hygiene rating scheme is an excellent aid in doing so. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Please rest assured that where food hygiene standards are found to be less than adequate, our Inspectors will take measures to achieve improvements. Alongside this, food businesses are monitored to ensure that current food hygiene ratings are displayed, not only as an incentive to improve, but so that residents, particularly the vulnerable in society, can make an informed choice on where they eat. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The defendant was ordered to pay the full fine within 14 days. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​