A north London kosher bakery has been fined £3,000 after failing a food safety check because it did not have hot running water to clean equipment.
Hendon Bagel Bakery was found guilty of failing to comply with a hygiene improvement notice served in June last year. The notice required the company to install a hot water supply to a sink in the shop.
As well as the fine, bakery owner Avi Avital was ordered to pay £1,500 costs and a £15 surcharge.
Mr Avital, who owns eight restaurants including the Orli chain, had denied the charge, claiming building work had interfered with the water supply.
“We were doing alterations and the boiler had to be cut off while the work was being done,” he said after the verdict. “The problem was fixed a long time ago.”
Hendon Magistrates’ Court had heard that the bakery had consistently failed to install the supply for cleaning working utensils and equipment.
Visiting in December 2008, environmental health officers confirmed that hot water was available for hand washing, but not for cleaning utensils.
Magistrates said the offence was “particularly serious”.
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