Retailer fined over £60,000 for hygiene offences in Sudbury
Council officers visited a store in the town after a complaint about rats
Last updated 20th Apr 2021
A national retailer has been fined over £60,000 for hygiene offences in Sudbury.
Following a complaint about rats, an inspection of McColl's on Market Hill was carried out on 8 January 2020.
Babergh District Council officers found evidence of pest infestation and sewage leaking over the toilet floor.
Martin Retail Group Ltd, which owns the store, was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on 15 April 2021 after pleading guilty to five charges:
- Failure to ensure that there were adequate procedures in place to control pests
- Failure to keep a food premises clean
- Failure to ensure that the construction of food premises permitted good food hygiene practices, including protection against contamination and pest control
- Failure to ensure that food was protected against any contamination likely to render the food unfit for human consumption, injurious to health or contaminated in such a way that it would be unreasonable to expect it to be consumed in that state
- Failure to ensure that the available flush lavatory was connected to an effective drainage system
The company has been ordered to pay £60,000 and costs of £5,589.08.
Cassandra Clements, assistant director for environment and commercial partnerships at Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils, said:
"Our officers work hard to keep the public safe when purchasing food or goods, or eating out – so this is another great result. We take a graduated enforcement approach, share intelligence with authorities across the country, and support our businesses with advice and guidance, with prosecution being the last resort.
"This conviction shows the importance of good hygiene practices and sends a clear message that breaches will not be tolerated. This vital work ensures our communities are protected and that Babergh remains a place people are proud to live and work."