A HOOK food business, which sold chicken with fly eggs in it, has been fined thousands for its continued poor hygiene practices.

Farm Catering Ltd, trading as Holdshott Farm Shop, was fined £37,000 and prohibited from operating a food business with immediate effect following a hearing at Basingstoke Magistrates Court on January 12.

The director of the business, Mrs Kathleen David, and the manager, Mr Roger David, were fined £6,000 per found hygiene offence, plus £5,309 costs and £100 victim surcharge.

The couple pleaded guilty to eight food hygiene offences – but the magistrate reduced the fine per offence to £4,000, resulting in a final fine of £37,409.

Hart District Council (HDC) Environmental Health has been involved in the investigation following poor food hygiene results from regular inspections and complaints from the public.

Nick Steevens, head of regulatory services at HDC, said the standard of food hygiene at the Reading Road shop were “some of the worst that offices have experienced”.

He added: “We have continually provided support and guidance to Farm Catering Ltd to try and assist them to comply with the food hygiene regulations.

“Despite our continued efforts to support this business, food safety inspections always revealed serious breaches of food hygiene legislation and failings which put customers at risk.”

The offences ranged from failing to protect food from contamination to selling chicken pieces containing fly eggs and selling meat pieces which were considered a high-risk food as it had been kept 4.5 degrees above legal refrigeration requirements.

All recorded incidents took place between April 7, 2015, and March 15, 2016.

Mr Steevens continued: “The business supplies produce to the general public, restaurants, schools and community shops.

“While we always endeavour to support businesses to ensure they supply safe food, where there are continued breaches or breaches which put the public at risk, it is our obligation to take action to protect the public.

“The magistrates considered the offences so severe that Farm Catering Ltd should be prohibited from running a food business.”

Cllr John Kennett, cabinet member for regulatory service at HDC, said taking Farm Catering to court was “always the last resort”.

He added: “Hundreds of businesses in Hart maintain safe standards and there was no reason why Farming Catering Ltd could not do the same.”

The Gazette unsuccessfully tried to contact the company before going to press.

For more information please visit hart.gov.uk/business-foodsafety