One of the major responsibilities of Fylde Council’s Environmental Health team is to ensure all food and drink intended for human consumption by Fylde’s food businesses is produced, stored, distributed and handled without risk to the health and safety of the consumer.
When businesses serve food that is unfit, or fail to keep their food premises safe, they risk the health of their customers and the public. Failure to maintain adequate food safety standards can result in significant legal and financial consequences for businesses and individuals, including prosecution and fines.
In October 2022, Fylde Council Environmental Health officers observed numerous food hygiene offences at Dahlia’s Kitchen on Cropper Road, Blackpool. The restaurant was given a food hygiene rating of zero – the lowest possible, indicating that significant improved would be required – and ceased trading.
At a hearing at the Blackpool Magistrates Court on 25 October 2023, Shaun Pickup, the former manager of Dahlia’s Kitchen, pleaded guilty to 6 charges in contravention of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, and to 2 charges in contravention of the Healthy and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (as amended). He was sentenced at the Blackburn Magistrates Court on 30 November 2023 to a fine plus costs in the total sum of £5,204.00.
Cllr Chris Dixon, Lead Member for Social Wellbeing, said: “Our Environmental Health team are always ready to support businesses in improving their food hygiene ratings, but will also take all necessary and proportionate enforcement action to protect public health. We’re grateful to all those businesses who do work with us to ensure these standards are met, and to those residents who report their concerns for investigation.”
If you have complaint about a food premises or the unsuitability of food purchased within Fylde, you can report this to our Environmental Health team. Click here to find out about the types of complaints we can deal with: https://new.fylde.gov.uk/business/food-safety/complaints/
For more information about Food Safety in Fylde, including details of the National Food Hygiene Rating System, how to improve your food hygiene rating, and advice for new businesses, visit the Fylde Council website: https://new.fylde.gov.uk/business/food-safety/
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