Belfast

  • Belfast pizzeria fined £1,400 over food safety

    Posted: November 16th, 2011 - 10:58am by Doug Powell

    Ciaran Kelly, who ran Kelstar Pizzeria on Shaw’s Road in west Belfast, was fined £1,400 also ordered to pay costs of £66 in relation to the 14 offences which were detected by Belfast City Council’s environmental health staff during visits between September 15, 2010 and January 6, 2011.

    During the visits, the structure of the premises and some equipment was found to be dirty and in disrepair. This included holes in the walls in food preparation areas, damage to ceiling tiles, and the inside of a fridge was in a state of disrepair.

    In addition, there were inadequate storage facilities for food waste resulting in an accumulation of waste to the rear of the premises.

    There was no documented food safety management system in place and Mr Kelly had repeatedly failed to comply with a Hygiene Improvement Notice which had been served on him.

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    Belfast, fine, food safety, Kelstar Pizzeria, restaurant inspection
  • Rankin restaurant Cayenne gets one star for hygiene

    Posted: June 10th, 2011 - 8:35am by Doug Powell

    One of Northern Ireland's most respected restaurants, celebrity chef Paul Rankin's Cayenne, was awarded a rating of just one under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.

    A score of zero means "urgent improvement necessary" and the top rating of five indicates a "very good' standard of food hygiene.

    The Belfast Telegraph reports Cayenne celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2010, but in March this year the verdict from food safety officers was that "major improvement" was needed.

    Manager Peter McKenna said staff at the restaurant were upset by the low rating, but insisted that the restaurant was perfectly safe and the score had nothing to do with food handling.

    A new mark will not be given until at least three months after the last inspection.

    Nick Wright, manager of Made In Belfast, said he is waiting for inspectors to return to his restaurant. They visited the city centre restaurant on March 5, 2010 and gave it a rating of one, which indicates the need for "major improvement."

    "The only reason we received the score was for structural reasons," Mr Wright said. Zen Restaurant manager Alex Yosh, based in Adelaide Street, said while he appreciates the work done by environmental health officers, he feels the rating system can be "misleading."

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    Belfast, cayenne, food safety, inspection, paul rankin
  • Belfast restaurant sorry after rodent runs past diners

    Posted: December 30th, 2009 - 8:59pm by Doug Powell

    A top French restaurant in Belfast has apologized after a rodent was spotted running amok on the premises.

    A complaint was lodged with Belfast City Council’s public health department yesterday after a group of diners claimed they spotted a rat in the restaurant on Monday night.
    Timothy Kirkpatrick said,

    “At one stage the rat sat on top of a woman’s handbag for a good 10 to 20 seconds. I couldn’t believe it, I don’t think anyone could.”

    Mr Kirkpatrick said he was very disappointed in the way the restaurant handled the situation.

    “The staff tried to catch it and continued to serve food,” he added. “It was quite unbelievable, to be honest.

    “They didn’t apologize or offer to waive the cheque or anything. At the time I didn’t mind, but the more I think about it now it is just ridiculous.”

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  • Mice droppings found in Belfast food shop

    Posted: December 2nd, 2009 - 11:34am by Doug Powell

    Food safety inspectors have confirmed mice droppings and bread for sale, which had been gnawed by rodents, were both found at an Iceland store in west Belfast.

    Belfast City Council staff carried out an inspection of the premises on 19 September, 2008 which uncovered "a number of serious breaches of food hygiene legislation.

    "Officers observed mouse droppings on and under shelving, and bread which was displayed for sale had been gnawed by mice."

    The store was fined £400 plus £66 costs after the inspection.

    In a statement, Iceland Foods Limited claimed it "was not charged for or fined for any pest-related issues".

    But the council said the firm had been fined for "food safety offences."
     

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    Belfast, C-store, Fined, Frozen Breaden Chicken, Iceland, Mice, Mouse, Roach Droppings