DIRTY and unhygienic conditions have landed bosses of two Stourbridge food businesses with a combined court bill of more than £10,000.

Investigations by environment health officers uncovered a series of hygiene failings at both Herbs and Spices takeaway in Oldswinford and Hayes Cafe in Lye.

Dudley Council led the prosecution against the businesses, which both received a hygiene rating of zero from their inspections.

The October 2014 inspection of Herbs and Spices takeaway, in Hagley Road, found dirty and defective equipment and dirty floors, ceilings and worktops.

They also found staff had failed to protect food from a risk of contamination, procedures to deal with pests were inadequate and food safety hazards had not been assessed.

Owner Muhammed Ahmad pleaded guilty to seven offences under the food hygiene regulations at Dudley Magistrates Court on Thursday, July 2.

He was fined £4,669, ordered to pay costs of £2,052.60 and a victim surcharge of £67. The court heard improvements had been made and the premises now has a satisfactory hygiene rating of three out of five.

In the April 2014 inspection of Hayes Cafe, in Stour Vale Road, officers found the premises and equipment were not clean and had not been maintained in good order, repair and condition.

There were flies in the kitchen, staff were not adequately trained and food safety hazards had not been assessed.

Andrew Newton, owner of Hayes Cafe, pleaded guilty to seven offences under the food hygiene regulations at Dudley Magistrates Court on Thursday, July 2.

He was fined £2,450, ordered to pay costs of £1,330.30 and a victim surcharge of £35. Subsequent improvements have been made to the cafe, which now has a hygiene rating of three.

Borough Councillor Rachel Harris, cabinet member responsible for health, said: “These prosecutions send out a clear message that we’re tough on food hygiene. We work very closely with businesses to ensure they know the law and offer help and advice where we can.

“However, in certain cases, prosecution is the only option in our bid to ensure people are protected when buying food in the borough and we have a zero tolerance of zero hygiene ratings.”

Dudley Council environmental health officers carry out regular inspections of food premises in the borough to advise food business owners and ensure they meet all food safety and hygiene requirements.

Almost half of all food outlets in the borough are achieving the top hygiene rating of five and the vast majority achieve a satisfactory rating of three or more, but Cllr Harris is urging people to check hygiene ratings online before they eat out.

Hygiene ratings for businesses across the borough can be found at www.dudley.gov.uk/foodsafety