"Traditional family butchers” in Portsmouth with rodents given emergency hygiene order after droppings and contaminated food found - and is told to cough up more than £1,100

By Steve Deeks
Published 23rd Aug 2023, 14:44 BST
Updated 23rd Aug 2023, 14:45 BST
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now
A “traditional family butchers” has been told to cough up more than £1,100 and comply with emergency hygiene order after rodent droppings and contaminated food were discovered at the location.

Stuart Blackmun, of butchers W A White and Son, 288 Arundel Street, Portsmouth, was subject of an emergency hygiene prohibition order under the Food Safety Hygiene Regulations.

READ NOW: People in the dock

At Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court it was ordered the prohibition will remain in place until certain steps are completed, according to court documents. Firstly, appropriate measures to “proof the food premises as necessary to deny access to rodents”.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad
Stuart Blackmun, of butchers W A White and Son, 288 Arundel Street, Portsmouth, was subject of a hygiene emergency prohibition order under the Food Safety Hygiene Regulations. Pic GoogleStuart Blackmun, of butchers W A White and Son, 288 Arundel Street, Portsmouth, was subject of a hygiene emergency prohibition order under the Food Safety Hygiene Regulations. Pic Google
Stuart Blackmun, of butchers W A White and Son, 288 Arundel Street, Portsmouth, was subject of a hygiene emergency prohibition order under the Food Safety Hygiene Regulations. Pic Google

Secondly, to carry out “appropriate treatment for rodents (mice) by a competent contractor”. Thirdly, the premises have been “thoroughly cleaned and sanitised and all droppings and contaminated food have been removed”.

The steps must be completed to the satisfaction of Portsmouth City Council’s Environmental Health team.

The court documents added: “The order shall cease to have effect on the issue by an enforcement authority of a certificate to the effect that it is satisfied that the food business operator has taken sufficient measures to secure that the health risk condition is no longer fulfilled with respect to the food business.

“Breach of this order may render the offender liable to a fine and/or a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years.”

He was told to pay court costs of £1,165,96.