Billy Bunter’s Bakehouse, based in Walsall, has been found to be in breach of a raft of food safety rules, and was issued a £10,000 fine in court this week. 

The bakery in Park Street Arcade was prosecuted for failings, including having dirty food containers, floors and shelves, storing a bag of buttercream icing next to a packet of raw bacon, and failing to address broken freezer lids.

Further counts surrounded the poor state of a cleaning cloth and anti-bacterial spray, which were left hanging on a pipe above fruit pie cases.

The firm faced eight counts of failing to comply with, or breaching, Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations, in relation to an inspection in March 2015.

Company director Kuldip Lal Ram was also prosecuted and fined £600.

At Walsall Magistrates Court yesterday prosecutor Kerry Munro said: “During a routine environmental health inspection, very poor levels of cleanliness and hygiene were observed.

“Food was at risk of contamination while being prepared and overall standards fell short of what is required to run a food establishment.

“Staff appeared to have a poor understanding of food hygiene requirements and they were not properly supervised.”

Ram pleaded guilty to all of the charges. She said: “The business is not what it was. It isn’t making that much money, but I have managed to do all of the work required now. We have never had a problem with environmental health inspections before.”

The magistrates also imposed court costs of £1,093, and a victim surcharge of £120 for each of the eight counts.