KFC pays out £19,000 after cockroach found munching chip

Fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) has been ordered to pay out £19,000 after a cockroach was discovered chomping on a chip in its Leicester Square outlet in London.

The cockroach was spotted by an environmental health officer lurking near takeaway boxes and tongs used to serve food in the restaurants.

City of Westminster magistrates court also heard that inspectors found a mouse, flies, and dried blood on the floors. There was also no handwash in dispensers in the food preparation areas.

KFC admitted breaching five hygiene rules after the inspection in August 2008. It was fined £11,000 and ordered it to pay £7,927.80 in costs and a victim surcharge of £15.

The fines included:

- Failed to keep the premises clean - £3,000 fine

- Failed to keep the food premises maintained in good repair and condition - £1,500 fine

- Failed to put in place adequate procedures to ensure that pests were controlled - £3,000 fine

- Failed to ensure that materials for cleaning hands and for hygienic drying were available at hand basins - £1,000 fine

- Failed to ensure the layout, design and construction permitted good food hygiene practices, including protection against contamination and pest control - £2,000 fine

Credit: Westminster Council

Richard Block, head of food, health and safety at Westminster City Council, said: "The standards of hygiene at this restaurant were appalling and simply unacceptable. A fast food chain of the size and stature of KFC should know better, and I am amazed their head office allowed such an important flagship restaurant to decline to these low levels.

"The restaurant industry is a vital part of our economy, and we will not tolerate any behaviour which could jeopardise it or the safety of our millions of visitors. I hope this case sends a clear signal that we will take firm action against any restaurant which puts the health of its diners at risk."

Credit: Westminster Council

Nina Arnott, a spokesperson for the company said: “These charges date back to August 2008, and as soon as we were made aware of the results of the inspection, we took immediate action to bring the restaurant back up to our strict hygiene standards. The restaurant has undergone a complete renovation, and the EHO’s barrister has told the District Judge that there is no longer a concern about these premises.”

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By Neil Gerrard

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