Kosher bakery ordered to pay £28,000 fine for mice and cockroach infestation

A kosher bakery has been ordered to pay £28,000 for an infestation of mice, cockroaches and maggots at two of its shops.

Sharon’s Bakery shops in Stamford Hill and Manor House were closed following a snap visit by Hackney Council’s environmental health officers last summer.

In the Stamford Hill branch “cockroaches and mouse droppings” were found in the kitchen and storage rooms, among other areas, reported the Hackney Gazette, while in the Manor House bakery, inspectors found “widespread mouse infestation”, including a gnawed block of chocolate.

A fine of £8,000 was imposed at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday for breaching food hygiene regulation and £20,000 costs to Hackney Council.

Shuki Mozes, Sharon’s Bakery UK Ltd’s general manager said it had since “improved a million times”.