Dirty Blackpool takeaway was '˜a threat to health'

Blackpool food hygiene ratings 2017 - ‘Urgent improvement’ is on menu for six eateries

The Paramount on Highfield Road, a family business for 43 years, was found to be grubby and greasy and areas of the premises were in poor repair.

Lynda Bennett, prosecuting for Blackpool Council, told a court: “Conditions such as these can result in cross contamination and growth of bacteria on food which can lead to food poisoning and even death.”

Restaurant owner, Alan Chow, 60, of Roseacre, South Shore, pleaded guilty to four offences of breaching food safety and hygiene laws.

He was fined £900 with £425 costs and ordered to pay £30 victims’ surcharge by Blackpool magistrates.

Ms Bennett said that on March 22 this year food inspectors visited the Paramount and noted it was dirty, there were structural problems and some food was past its sell-by date.

The owner was given until May 1 to rectify the problems, but when inspectors returned on May 10 several problems had not been fixed.

Tiles on the wall were missing, broken and cracked, some work surfaces were damaged, some equipment was greasy, there was dirt on a fridge door and under some units, and documents relating to food safety procedures were not up-to-date.

Trevor Colebourne, defending, said the restaurant was one of the longest established in the resort and it had been in the family for 43 years.

Chow admitted over the years there had been a lack of routine maintenance and decorating. After the inspector’s second visit, Chow immediately got all the repair work done and the premises were now pristine.

The defence added that Trip Advisor site reviews showed 72 percent of customers rated the restaurant as excellent.