Photos show failures at café fined for food hygiene offences

Ms Agneska De’Ath (nee Janaszek), director of the Crown Café/ Bistro Limited, and her limited company were found guilty at Southend Magistrates Court on 14 September for two food hygiene offences and one health and safety offence, which occurred at the Crown Café at 458 Southchurch Road, Southend-on-Sea.

During an inspection at the Café in August 2015, a Chartered Environmental Health Practitioner from Southend-on-Sea Borough Council found the café had no wash hand basin for hand washing only in the kitchen, no documented food safety management system to ensure the safe production of foods and a lack of maintenance to the electrical installation at the café.

Incorrect storage or chicken Credit: Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

As a result, two Hygiene Improvement Notices and one Health and Safety Improvement Notice were served. Subsequent visits to the café on 15 and 18 September found the improvement notices had not been acted upon.

Credit: Southend on Sea Borough Council

Magistrates heard the evidence given by Ms Janaszek and found her and her limited company guilty to three offences.

Ms Agneska De’Ath (née Janaszek) was fined £1,440 and her company The Crown Café/ Bistro Limited was fined £16,000. Ms Janaszek was ordered to pay £1,000 costs and her limited company was order to pay £2,162.50 costs. Both Ms Janaszek and her limited company must also pay a victim surcharge totalling £188.

Out of date food Credit: Southend-on-Sea Borough Council

Executive Councillor for Housing, Planning and Public Protection Services, Cllr Mark Flewitt, welcomed the court’s decision. He said: “It is regrettable that our environmental health officers had to take this course of action but The Crown Café/ Bistro Limited and Ms Janaszek failed to comply with the requirements despite repeated advice and warnings.

“We hope this successful prosecution sends out a clear message to food businesses that you must take your responsibilities for food hygiene and health and safety seriously and we will take any action necessary to protect the public from harm.”

Ms Janaszek is no longer running the Crown Café.