Former takeaway owner is fined for misdescribing food
THE former owner of a takeaway misled her customers about the ingredients on their pizza.
Hanife Calgar, of Overpark Avenue, Leicester, pleaded guilty to four charges of misdescribing food on the menu at New Pizza Inn, in Woodgate, Rothley.
There were two charges relating to the farmhouse pizza which the menu described as ham, mushroom and sweetcorn with chef’s speciality cheese.
The pizza was actually topped with turkey, rather than ham, and cheese analogue – a mixture made up of cheese, milk protein and vegetable oil.
Another two charges related to the menu falsely displaying the ingredients of a farmhouse pizza.
Mrs Calgar was also fined for not displaying a notice containing her name and an address in accordance with the Companies Act 2006.
She pleaded guilty to all five charges at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday February 6.
The prosecution was brought after an investigation by Leicestershire County Council’s trading standards team.
The court heard that a sample pizza was ordered by the team before being sent for testing as part of routine investigations at a number of premises.
Representing the council, a Mr Clemens said: “There is a potentially aggravating factor in that trading standards from Leicestershire County Council visited the premises as long ago as 2013 and the ingredients were not as they should be.
“Guidance was given and yet five years down the line there were still anomalies.”
Mrs Calgar, representing herself, said that the takeaway has been running for 10 years as a family business.
A family member has now taken over the running of the shop.
She added: “I want to say this wasn’t done intentionally. I didn’t do it intentionally or to harm anyone.
“I’ve thrown my menus away, I’ve changed them all like they said. I just didn’t know. This is all just about a ham and mushroom pizza.”
Mrs Calgar handed over a copy of her new menu to the bench to prove she has made the suggested changes.
Magistrates agreed Mrs Calgar can pay the fines – amounting to £966 – and the prosecution costs of £1678.14 at a rate of £40 a week.