A catering business in Swansea was shut down on the spot when hygiene officers on a routine visit spotted rat and mouse droppings all around the building. Officers working for Swansea Council visited AT Catering in Lone Road, Clydach, in February, 2022 to discuss with the owner whether the business needed regulatory approval.
However, they were so appalled by the state of the unit that they instead issued an emergency notice - known as a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Order - and immediately closed the business down. Inside the unit, council officers said they found a "significant and widespread" rodent infestation, with droppings throughout the premises. The council visited the site again two months later but still found substantial pest control and structural problems. You can read more stories about Clydach here.
Then, in May 2022, business owner Abu Taleb revealed to hygiene officers that he had sold some stock from the unit to wholesalers, something that was in breach of the order his company was subject to. This meant that Taleb, aged 34 and of Ael y Bryn, Fforestfach, failed to comply with the order and had continued to supply businesses with food that was stored at AT Catering, putting the health of consumers at risk.
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David Hopkins, cabinet member for corporate services and performance at Swansea Council, said the food storage conditions at the unit were among the worst officers had seen in years. "The building's condition was so poor that the officers who attended took immediate action and closed the business down straight away," he said. "The structural conditions at the unit did not meet food hygiene requirements and put anyone consuming the products stored there at serious risk of illness. The rodent infestation was both significant and widespread with droppings almost everywhere.
"Chest freezers were dirty with mould growth on the front of one of them and our officers found holes in ceilings and witnessed water dripping through them on to products like mango chutney and tinned tomatoes. Holes in the walls were allowing rodents in and out of the building who were quite clearly attracted by the amount of food available and our officers could find no evidence of proper pest control arrangements in place.
"The people of Swansea deserve to feel secure that the food on their plate is safe to eat. The overwhelming majority of food suppliers know the rules and abide by them. Our evidence to the court was that Mr Taleb knew the rules as well but chose to ignore them, putting people's health at risk. Our message to residents and consumers is that our food safety teams are working hard to protect you from harm and this case demonstrates they will take immediate action if they need to. Our message to businesses is that if they don’t comply with rules designed to keep everyone safe, then we won’t hesitate to act and bring a case to court."
Taleb appeared at Swansea Magistrates' Court on Thursday, January 26 and pleaded guilty to six food hygiene and safety charges. He was ordered to pay a fine of £1,200, a victim surcharge of £120, and costs of £4,020 - leaving him a total of £5,340 out of pocket.
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