Restaurant in Wolverhampton fined over £14,000 for cockroach infestation

A restaurant in Wolverhampton has been ordered to pay over £14,000 after authorities discovered an active cockroach infestation.

City of Wolverhampton Council’s environmental health officers found the infestation at Calif Bar during a routine check-up in July 2022.

They also found a dirty kitchen and storeroom, poor washing facilities and inadequately trained staff.

Isi Lucky Idahor, director of Calif Bar (Wolverhampton) Limited, pleaded guilty to six breaches of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, including failure to protect food against contamination.

Idahor was fined £1,272 per offence, which amounted to a total of £7,632. He also paid a victim surcharge of £508 and paid court costs of £6,300 during the hearing at Dudley Magistrates Court on 4 October.

Officers will be monitoring the premises to ensure standards are maintained. The restaurant is currently closed.

Councillor Craig Collingswood, cabinet member for city environment and climate change at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “This is an unpleasant case where a city business owner has knowingly put his customers at risk.

“Poor food hygiene can cause significant illnesses and the defendant in this case demonstrated a lack of care and responsibility to the people who trusted him.”