Former takeaway owner admits to hygiene failings

Behroz Hamedi

An Aberdeen takeaway owner has admitted a string of hygiene failings, including serving unsuspecting customers raw meat.

Behroz Hamedi, who ran Marco’s Fast Food on Belmont Street, was forced to shut up shop last year after his “continued” non-compliance of health regulations.

Following visits from officials in December 2017 and January 2018, the 59-year-old’s licence to trade into the early hours was revoked.

He claimed the associated loss of business from night-time revellers meant he could no longer keep his company afloat.

On behalf of himself and his firm, Hamedi pled guilty to 10 charges of failing to comply with health and hygiene improvement notices at Aberdeen Sheriff Court yesterday.

These included storing meat products at unsafe temperatures and neglecting a deep-fat fryer which was leaking “excessive amounts” of grease.

Depute fiscal John Richardson said items including red pudding were being displayed for purchase despite being only part-cooked, meaning customers were at risk of taking home items which could have “caused problems” for them if eaten.

Hamedi told the court: “I think what we did was normal practice for a chip shop.

“We’d been doing it for 35 years and we had no problems.”

By the time of the business’s closure, it was fully compliant with the law.

Sheriff Ian Wallace acknowledged there had been “some connection” between the revocation of the late licence and the collapse of the business.

He said: “You have paid a significant penalty as a result of that.”

Hamedi, of Belmont Street, was admonished.