Bolton food firm facing insolvency following hygiene prosecution

Insolvency

A food company based in Bolton which was prosecuted for making chicken kebabs “on a building site” is facing liquidation.

Insolvency experts have been called in at Xpress Food UK, which is based in St Paul’s Mill in Caroline Street.

Earlier this year the company, which was run by Suleman Patel, was fined £16,000 and ordered to pay £6,592 costs by magistrates.

The fine was imposed following enforcement action by environmental health officials.

Xpress Food was convicted of breaching a number of hygiene regulations after officials found food was being prepared during ongoing construction work.

Mr Patel was also banned indefinitely from running a food business by the courts.

Bolton Council’s Environmental Health Officers visited the business in May 2018 following an anonymous complaint.

At the time Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Environmental Regulatory Services Anne Galloway, said: “This business put public safety at risk by producing unsafe food in unacceptable conditions.

“Xpress Food moved to Bolton after its previous site had its approval withdrawn and this result shows that this council will not tolerate poor hygiene standards.

“Not only does this case serve as a deterrent to other firms that flout the law, but it is an excellent example of the hard work that goes into ensuring that the food that reaches our shops and restaurants is safe to eat.”

A virtual creditors meeting is due to take place at the offices of insolvency practitioners S P Ford Ltd, in Leicestershire.

The meeting will vote on the appointment of a liquidator.

Click here to sign up to receive our new South West business news...
Close