The owners of a Camberwell bakery have been prosecuted for breaching health and safety regulations.
The case brought by Southall council against Spice N Nice was heard at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on March 3, culminating in the defendants, Mark Scott and Dezrene Judith Clarke, pleading guilty to breaches to the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The court imposed fines of £1,200 each, along with a £480 legal surcharge and £1,500 in costs.
The prosecution resulted from a series of inspections that uncovered serious safety concerns at the bakery, located at 8A Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, London.
The council’s environmental health team visited the bakery on July 9 last year following a referral from the council’s Food Safety Team regarding an unsafe cooking appliance and dangerous electrics.
The investigation revealed the use of a liquid petroleum gas cooking appliance inside the bakery, along with large amounts of stored bottled gas, which did not comply with safety standards.
The owners had previously been instructed to stop using the equipment by another council enforcement officers 18 months earlier.
Concerns were raised about the unsafe gas cooking appliance which posed a fire and explosion risk, endangering both customers and the residents living in the accommodation above the bakery.
Additionally, the council identified dangerous electrical sockets that could pose a significant hazard to staff and patrons.
Despite previous warnings, the proprietors failed to take corrective action to make the premises safe, leading to legal proceedings by the council.
Councillor Natasha Ennin, Southwark council’s cabinet member for community safety, said:“This conviction sends a clear message that we will not tolerate businesses that neglect the safety of their employees and customers.
“Ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations is paramount, and we will take decisive action against those who fail in this duty. The safety of our residents is our top priority, and we will continue to enforce the law to protect them.”
“It is critically important that gas appliances are installed correctly and undergo an annual safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Additionally, all electrics must be safely maintained and should be tested and inspected by a competent electrician every five years in commercial premises.”
Mr Scott told the South London Press: “We’ve been here 30 years and I’m not sure why they’ve suddenly come down on us. It was just some electrical stuff – a few switches cracked and some paperwork we completely forgot about, nothing much. It’s all OK now.”
Pictured top: Spice N Nice on Coldharbour Lane (Picture: Google Street View)
Dutch
English
French
Italian
Portuguese
Spanish
Discussion about this post