Pizza company in Cambridge fined over cockroach infestation

A pizza delivery company in Cambridge that failed to deal with a serious cockroach infestation has been prosecuted.

The director of Exultant Pizza Ltd, trading as Pizza Hut Delivery at 83 Mill Road in Cambridge, pleaded guilty at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court to being aware of the infestation and failing to have adequate procedures in place to control the pests.

The company was fined a total of £13,070 including legal costs and victim surcharges.

Cambridge City Council officers visited the premises and discovered evidence of live and dead cockroaches at various stages of development.

Cockroaches can cause illness by contaminating food, surfaces and packaging.

The premises were immediately shut down, with the agreement of the business owner, so they could be cleaned up.

The business reopened after a follow-up inspection confirmed it was no longer a risk to public health.

Cllr Rosy Moore, executive councillor for environmental services and city centre, said: “Public health should be a top priority for all food businesses in Cambridge and we expect them to maintain high standards.

“However, when we find poor standards that present significant risks to food safety and associated public health we will not hesitate to take action to keep the public from harm.

“In the current climate, with coronavirus at the forefront of everyone’s mind, it is essential that businesses comply with all food hygiene legislation, and where premises have been closed for a period it is imperative that extra checks for pests are taken before opening.”

The director pleaded guilty to the food hygiene offences on August 5.

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