Wigan takeaway boss lands hefty bill after breaching food hygiene and safety rules

Muhammad Irfan, operator and owner of Frankies Chicken and Pizza, on Gerard Street, Ashton, breached regulations aimed to protect diners.

This included by failing to take measures to prevent the spread of E-coli, a type of bacteria which can cause serious illness.

Wigan Council’s environmental health team carried out a prosecution after a routine inspection, which saw Frankies receive a food hygiene rating of two – the third lowest score available – and two further unannounced visits.

During these visits, officers found incidents of cross-contamination, with surfaces, sinks and washing equipment used for both raw and ready-to-eat food not being cleaned well enough.

Irfan, 35, was brought before Wigan magistrates charged with 10 offences and pleaded guilty to them all.

This included failing to implement control measures to prevent the spread of E-coli from raw foods to ready-to-eat foods, as poor practices resulted in indirect cross-contamination, such as not washing hands after handling raw meat and touching surfaces.

Irfan did not designate a wash basin for handwashing or provide materials for cleaning hands and hygienic drying, and he failed to effectively clean and disinfect fittings and equipment that came into contact with food to avoid any risk of contamination.

He also admitted there was no food safety management in place, he failed to keep the premises clean and in a good condition, and staff were not adequately trained.

The offences took place on October 19 and December 8, 2022.

Justices ordered Irfan to pay fines totalling £3,224, a victim surcharge of £1,289.60 and costs of £401.76.

Afterwards, Coun Paul Prescott said: “Good food hygiene is really important, so you can be confident when eating out and our team work to ensure that restaurants, takeaways and cafes in our borough meet the right standards.

“With 10 offences and a poor track record of compliance with food safety standards, our team successfully prosecuted Mr Irfan as the responsible operator and owner of this branch, showing that we will take action where it is needed to ensure our residents are protected.”

Anyone with concerns about a business can call 0808 223 1133 in confidence or email [email protected].