A Dudley takeaway, where a number of serious hygiene failings were discovered, including a dead rat found floating on top of waste oil, has been described by magistrates as ‘disgusting and absolutely filthy.’

Dudley Council’s environmental health officers brought the case against Mamaz in Wolverhampton Street, Dudley, following an inspection in August 2017. At Dudley Magistrates Court on November 7 owners Maqsood Ahmed, aged 41, and Mohammed Saghir, aged 43, pleaded guilty to 11 charges under food safety and hygiene regulations.

The court fined Ahmed and Saghir £11,000 each with £410 costs and £100 victim surcharge. The offences included failing to keep the premises and equipment clean and in good repair and condition, failing to provide hot water to the sink and wash hand basin and failing to comply with an improvement notice requiring hot water to be provided at a sink.

The court heard equipment including a food mixer, pizza oven, chopping boards, can opener, chest freezer and microwave were dirty. Floors and a ceiling were defective and not capable of being cleaned and raw lamb burgers were stored above ready to eat foods in a refrigerator.

A lid to the waste oil container in the rear yard was missing and a dead rat was floating on top of the oil. The owners had failed to put in place adequate food safety management procedures. Dudley Council confirmed the premises has now changed ownership and has recently re-opened under a new name. Councillor Cathy Bayton, cabinet member responsible for health and wellbeing, said:

"Conditions at this takeaway were extremely poor and it is right the owners of this business, which has now closed, have been held to account and incurred such a significant financial penalty.

"While we prefer to work with businesses to secure compliance with the law, we will not hesitate to take legal action against the minority of food businesses proprietors who do not take our advice on board and who fail to meet their legal responsibilities.

"I want to reassure the public that the vast majority of food businesses in the borough are well run and compliant with hygiene and safety rules. More than half of all food outlets in the borough are achieving the top hygiene rating of five, with the vast majority achieving a satisfactory rating of three or more.

"I would urge consumers to check out hygiene ratings online as these will give consumers a glimpse of what is going on in the kitchen when they eat out, or behind the scenes at the places they shop.”

Dudley Council environmental health officers carry out regular inspections of food premises in the borough to advise food business owners and ensure they meet all food safety and hygiene requirements.