Shop owner fined after hygiene slip

THE OWNER of a shop in Edinburgh has been fined £750 after pleading guilty to a food hygiene offence at the Sheriff Court.

Mr Ataf Habib, the operator of Makkah Store on Elm Row, pled guilty on Wednesday to a charge under the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 2006 of "failing to ensure that the food premises were kept clean and maintained in good repair and condition as the premises was affected with accumulations of dirt and mouse droppings".

The problems were discovered by council inspectors during a routine visit to the store in April last year.

Councillor Robert Aldridge, Environment Leader, said:"Thanks to the vigilance and hard work shown by our Food Safety Enforcement staff, we can send out a clear message to all food business operators that they must adhere to food hygiene requirements or face the consequences."