A FILTHY restaurant posing a serious risk to people’s health has been fined more than £10,000 after ecoli was found present on repeated visits by inspectors.

The Shanghai Fish Bar, in Beechcroft Road, repeatedly failed to comply with food hygiene regulations during inspections last year and owner Wei Yu Chen has now been held to account following a long investigation.

The takeaway now has a one-star food hygiene rating and will be compelled to work with the council to improve standards.

During inspections, among the problems officers found were no records of cleaning regimes, cooked and raw food were at severe risk of cross contamination and staff were unaware of food hygiene regulations and proper practice.

Phil Wirth, prosecuting, told Swindon Magistrates' Court yesterday: “On August 15 last year, Environmental Health officers employed by Swindon Council attended to carry out a routine food hygiene inspection. During this inspection officers identified a number of issues.

“There had been a failure to ensure equipment was cleaned, in particular a colander with partly cooked chicken kept next to a chopping board which was mouldy and sticky to the touch.

“Green algae and vegetation had been growing on the potato rumbler and chipper.

“The chef was seen wearing a dirty and greasy apron while preparing raw and ready to eat foods.

“There was no separation of raw and cooked foods, giving rise to a serious risk of cross-contamination. Raw foods including chicken was kept below cleaning products such as washing up liquid.

“The defendant did not appear to understand that high risk foods must be kept below a temperature of eight degrees centigrade.

“Raw meat was being prepared on the draining board by the washing up equipment, giving rise to a serious risk of direct cross contamination.”

The court also heard that officers found there was no hand-washing sink in the staff toilet, leaving the workers to clean their hands in the kitchen sink, and there were no disposable towels for sanitation.

Equipment including temperature probes and food preparation equipment were all found to be dirty with the remnants of food, and cleaning equipment had gathered dust and had not been used in some time.

Subsequent visits on September 10, 23 and 25 all found food hygiene compliance was not being carried out. A lack of detail in documents regarding ecoli was a particular cause for concern.

On December 9, officers returned to the premises, and conditions had not improved. Swabs were taken from surfaces, including the kitchen taps, where the presence of ecoli and entrobacteria was discovered. The full investigation carried out by Swindon Council cost the taxpayer a total of £5,836.

Andrew Eddy, defending, told the court Chen had not made any profit on the business since 2008 when she took over, with the exception of 2013.

“The premises is still trading,” he said. “It is wholly accepted she was operating a system which was unhealthy.

“She finds it difficult in terms of communication, and she also has people working with her with English as a second language.

“Since she took over the establishment in 2008 it has come a long way in terms of cleanliness and food hygiene.

“The staff have now done the relevant training and have certificates. She now hopes nothing of this nature will happen again.

“She apologises and hopes to never find herself in this position, and will work with the local authority to provide food of a significantly high standard to the people of Swindon in the future.”

Chen was fined a total of £10,926, including costs of £5,806 and a victim surcharge of £120.