GREENWICH & BROMLEY: Manager of mouse-infested cafe found guilty of hygiene breaches

1:14pm Wednesday 7th January 2009

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A FORMER manager of a mouse-infested cafe is free to continue working at another restaurant.

Eyup Turedi, of Bramdean Gardens, Lee, was charged with eight food hygiene offences after complaints of food poisoning from customers at Cafe Sol in Nelson Road, Greenwich.

Environmental health officers from Greenwich Council inspected the premises on June 20, 2007, and found mouse droppings on the kitchen floor as well as on plates and cleaning cloths.

Mice had attacked food stored in a cupboard while ants were found crawling on bowls and plates. Meanwhile, the walls, shelving, electrical cables and sockets were covered with food deposits.

In addition, raw foods such as chicken were stored with ready-to-eat food such as cooked prawns, which can cause the spread of food poisoning bacteria.

The 36-year-old denied six charges of failing to keep the premises clean, one of failing to maintain procedures to control pests and one of failing to put in place procedures to manage food safely.

He was found guilty at Woolwich Magistrates' Court and given a 12-month conditional discharge with court costs of £500.

Turedi, who left Cafe Sol to complete a food hygiene training course at Bromley College, is now a manager at Fiesta Mexicana in Orpington High Street.

He told News Shopper after the case that he regretted taking responsibility for food hygiene with his old employer.

He said: "When I started working at Cafe Sol I thought I would just be doing paperwork, but I signed a document taking responsibility for the food before I knew enough about the kitchen.

"If I had known what a state it was in I would have shut it down."

He added: "I really regret signing it - but now I am qualified to deal with food."

Food business PA Caterers, which owned Cafe Sol, was also charged with the same list of offences but failed to appear at court.

The case was heard in its absence and the company was found guilty of all eight charges and fined £8,000 with costs of £1,700.

Greenwich Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhood services Councillor Maureen O’Mara said: “Our environmental health teams are always willing to offer free advice to food premises on their responsibilities for ensuring food safety.

"Owners are welcome to contact the council on 020 8921 8177 for more information and advice."

Café Sol is now under new management.

• Owner of Fiesta Mexicana, Eduarda Agdemir said he had given notice to Turedi.

Check hygiene standards of catering premises in Greenwich