I’m turning things around at takeaway
BOSS TAKING ACTION TO RESTORE FORMER HIGH STANDARDS
THE owner of a Newcastle takeaway says “immediate action” has been taken to restore hygiene standards after the previous tenant was slammed by health inspectors.
Environmental health officers visited Pizzaholic on Chillingham Road, Heaton, last July after complaints were made by members of the public about the presence of rats. No evidence of pests were found, but inspectors were shocked to find “filthy” conditions inside the kitchen and a “putrid smell” coming from the fridge.
Representatives of the company that was running Pizzaholic, UK Pizza Heaton Limited, were fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £1,017 in costs at a hearing at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Thursday for eight counts of breaching the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations 2013.
Current owner Ilhan Oczan, who opened the takeaway in 2010, insists standards have improved since retaking control from UK Pizza Heaton Limited. In 2015, Pizzaholic was shortlisted for the British Takeaway Awards, when it was named as one of the top five in the North East and potentially one of the best in the UK.
Mr Oczan said: “I opened Pizzaholic and always served good and high-quality food. We always had five stars in food and hygiene.
“I had to move abroad in 2017 and UK Pizza Heaton Limited were running the business. When I learned they were not running the business to the normal standard and were visited by health and safety, I took immediate action and had to cancel the agreement with the company straightaway. Just after the inspectors visited in July 2017, I contacted the city council myself and worked hard to bring the shop back to its usual high standard of food hygiene.
“I run Pizzaholic myself now and UK Pizza Heaton Limited is no longer running the business.”
Health inspectors raised concerns about “filthy” preparation areas, cooking and preparation equipment, as well as a large amount of rubbish piled in the back yard.
UK Pizza Heaton Limited failed to show at the court hearing, but the business was convicted in the company’s absence. The Chillingham Road takeaway is currently listed on the Food Standards Agency website under food hygiene ratings as ‘awaiting inspection.’
A Newcastle City Council spokesman said: “Prosecution is taken only where there is serious concern about hygiene standards and our team will support any business who wishes to improve their compliance and food hygiene rating.”
He added: “If Pizzaholic are certain things have improved in their shop they can arrange for a reassessment of their rating to give the public confidence and reassurance about food safety in their establishment.”