Bristol shop owner jailed for repeated food safety breaches

Saghir Ahmed was already banned from managing a food store for previous infringements

Bristol City Council officers found repeated food safety breaches at Picton Stores
Author: James DiamondPublished 26th Aug 2021

A Bristol food shop owner has been sentenced to seven months in jail after admitting eight food safety breaches.

Saghir Ahmed ran Picton Stores in Montpelier where council officers found out of date food on several occasions some of which was rotting and say the shop generally was in a state of disrepair.

He had previously been convicted of 12 food safety and hygiene offences in 2019 in relation to another store and had even been banned from managing any food business.

He attempted to get around that by transferring ownership of Picton Stores to his wife.

"Bristol City Council environmental health officers had served hygiene improvement notices on the business, requiring a stock rotation system to be put in place and the store to be made pest-proof," a statement from the council reads.

"However, council officers removed food found to be past its use-by date on several occasions, of which some was rotten.

"Other issues highlighted included a lack of sanitary facilities, no hot water or cleaning materials including soap for store workers, lack of staff training and the state of disrepair on the premises."

The council says despite four years of repeated visits by environmental health officers, Ahmed and others consistently refused to carry out repairs or do basic checks in a shop used regularly by vulnerable people.

During sentencing the judge involved said the offences turned his stomach.

Councillor Nicola Beech, cabinet member with responsibility for environmental health issues, said: “It is our duty to protect the public where sub-standard food and hygiene practices may be in operation and this case highlights a number of repeated failures to manage food safety.

“Our environmental health teams are committed to taking action where the required standards are not being met and where there is a lack of co-operation from owners.

“Since the council’s first visit in July 2017 the owner has made no progress to make improvements or protect their customers.”

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