The owners of 2 local food businesses have been handed hefty fines for serious food safety failings, including infestations of mice.

Hygiene offences at a Park Royal bakery and a Southall butcher have led to court appearances and thousands of pounds in fines, following investigations by Ealing Council’s food safety officers.

Between them, the 2 unrelated business were ordered to pay more than £25,000 in fines and costs.

Imminent risk to public health

Sciascia Storey and Co Ltd, of Acton Business Centre in Park Royal, is a commercial bakery which produces bread and pastry products for restaurants and hotels. At Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 8 July, director Julian Sciascia pleaded guilty to a number of charges, on behalf of the company. The offences included failing to put adequate procedures in place to control pests, failing to protect food against contamination, and failing to keep equipment clean.

This prosecution followed 2 enforced closures of the business after past inspections.

Council officers first ordered the business to close following an inspection in January 2024, when they found an infestation of mice and deemed there to be an imminent risk to public health.

In February 2024, the officers revisited the site and were satisfied that improvements had been made, and allowed the business to reopen.

However, when officers returned for another inspection in July 2024, they again found a mouse infestation and serious contamination risk and ordered the business to close its doors once more. The business reopened for a second time later in July, following another inspection.

At court, Sciascia Storey and Co Ltd was ordered to pay a £12,000 fine, plus £5,120 court costs, totalling over £17,000.

The image used at the top of this article was taken at Sciascia Storey & Co Ltd during one of the inspections.

The company supplies food to other businesses and is not included in the food hygiene ratings. It is still operating in the borough.

Rodents, raw meat and risk

Another prosecution on the same day at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court featured Southall Deshi Bazar Ltd, a butcher and grocery shop in Palace Shopping Centre in Southall.

The company and its director pleaded guilty to a number of charges. These included failing to put adequate procedures in place to control pests, failing to keep premises clean, and failing to keep food protected against contamination.

Its director, Mohammed Belal of Argyll Avenue in Southall, was ordered to pay a £461 fine, £800 court costs and a £184 victim surcharge , meaning a total of £1,445. Southall Deshi Bazar Ltd was ordered to pay a £4,000 fine and £2,827 court costs, totalling £6,827.70. Overall, the business and its director were served with a bill of more than £8,000 in fines and costs.

The court action was taken after a food hygiene inspection in February 2024. Council officers found mice and cockroach infestations, raw meat not stored at the right temperature, and poor cleaning practices.

Food was not safe for public health, so Southall Deshi Bazar Ltd saw its food hygiene rating decreased down to 0 – the lowest it can be. In March 2025, the rating was increased to 2, which is still ‘some improvement is necessary’.

Backing good businesses, cracking down on the bad

Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, the council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “These appalling cases again highlight the council’s firm commitment to holding food businesses accountable when they fail to meet hygiene standards and put public safety at risk.

“Fortunately, the majority of food businesses in the borough are responsible and take pride in maintaining clean, safe environments for their customers. We remain dedicated to supporting those businesses to grow and succeed. In recent years, we have focused on providing advice and training for food businesses, to help them earn and maintain good food hygiene rating scores.

“In rare instances like these, where serious health risks are identified, we will act decisively to protect the public. We have undertaken a record number of food hygiene inspections in recent years.”

Check ratings or report problems

You can check the hygiene rating of a food business on the Food Standards Agency website.

To tell the council about a food business that you have concerns about, email foodsafety@ealing.gov.uk.