Bakery used wallpaper strippers to prove bread

A POPULAR bakery in Birmingham has been ordered to pay over £11,000 for breaches of food regulations.

Inspectors first raised concerns about the cleanliness and the risk of contamination at Rose Bakery in Sparkbrook in January 2021.

A food safety officer discovered that bread was being proved in old fridges with steam coming from wallpaper strippers fed through a hole in the side.

He also noted that the bakery did not have an adequate number of washbasins suitably located for staff to clean their hands.

Earlier this month, the Stratford Road bakery was given the highest hygiene rating. But following a court ruling on June 14, bosses will have to shell out £11,190 for ten previous offences.

Owner Dyar Hama said all of the issues had been rectified and that it would be difficult for his small business to pay.

According to the court documents, during a visit on January 5 last year, the business had failed to ensure food was protected from contamination.

It was also found that the owners had failed to ensure fittings and equipment were kept clean and in good order to minimise contamination.

Returning to the shop the following month on February 8, officers found that Rose Bakery had failed to comply with a hygiene improvement notice served during the last inspection.

They said bosses had failed to ensure fittings and equipment which came directly into contact with food were kept clean, and said information on ingredients was not made available.

The company was fined £7,000 for failing to comply with improvement notices, on top of £4,000 in court costs and a £190 victim surcharge.

Mr Hama said: “I still have £10,000 left to pay, which is too much for a small business like mine, it’s very difficult.”