Larisa Catt
A south London cheese shop has been fined £75,000 after inspectors found it was infested with mice.
The Croydon Magistrates Court convicted and sentenced Heritage Cheese Kitchen Ltd in November after breaches of food safety standards were uncovered at two separate locations in the area.
Southwark Council said the first breach was in May 2024, when officers found a ‘widespread infestation’ including mice faeces on the floor, shelves and food prep surfaces.
They found rodents had nibbled away at one kilogram of ham in the Dulwich store’s walk-in fridge, which was also contaminated with droppings.
The contaminated ham was destroyed onsite by the offices, and the store agreed to close.
The second case in June 2024 revealed more safety failures at its Tower Bridge store, again with ‘extensive mouse droppings’ on shelves, in storage areas and crates to transport cheese, no hot water, poor hygiene and unsanitary equipment used to cut food.
Staff were unable to confirm expiry dates for 30kg of cheese so it was destroyed and the business was closed.
Before the Dulwich store closing, it had previously been named as a cheese monger by the Dulwich Estate in 2021.
It had also won national cheese awards, with multiple markets in Crystal Palace, Horniman market, Victoria Park and Alexandra Palace.
The business became a community hub for food enthusiasts and their kids, with art exhibitions and cooking classes.
But Southwark Council’s discovery of rodent droppings saw the business slapped with a £75,000 fine, plus a £2,000 victim surcharge.
The store was also ordered to pay almost £3.000 in prosecution costs, which need to be paid in 28 days.
The total balance is £79,979.60.
The Southwark Council plans to watch the company’s movements.
An 82-year-old Italian woman is listed as the sole director of Heritage Cheese Kitchen Ltd.
She currently lives in Italy, according to Companies House records, but her identity has not been verified.
Its registered address has changed three times since June 2024 from Walthamstow, to South Woodford, to East Dulwich, and to Beckenham.
Enrico Messora was the director at the time safety issues started to arise in May last year.
He briefly led the company for 11 days in August but stepped aside for a second time on August 12.
Messora from Bologna continues to run three businesses with offices registered to a tax advice firm in East London.
The companies are described as ‘Retail sale via stalls and markets of food, beverages and tobacco products’.
Zain Khatri is listed as the representative of Heritage Cheese Kitchen Ltd according to court documents from the Croydon magistrates.
He previously directed the tax advisory firm ZKT Adviser, where the cheese company is now registered.
Cllr Natasha Ennin, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Neighbourhoods, said: ‘These were extremely serious breaches that put the public at risk. Our officers found unacceptable hygiene conditions, contamination of food, and a complete disregard for basic food safety standards.
‘Businesses serving food in Southwark must meet their legal responsibilities, and where they fail to do so, we will not hesitate to take action.’
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