A GRAVESEND fish bar has been fined after inspectors found it was dirty and had an internal sewage chamber which overflowed into the kitchen.

Avtar Toor, food business operator of Wrotham Road Fish Bar, 51 Wrotham Road, Gravesend was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay Gravesham Borough Council costs of £850 at Dartford Magistrates Court on Friday, July 4 for food hygiene offences.

The offences related to the premises not being kept clean and maintained in good repair and not permitting good hygiene practices, including protection against contamination and in particular pest control, having an internal sewage inspection chamber which continually overflowed into the kitchen and a lack of documented food safety management system.

Following a number of inspections by officers from Gravesham Borough Council’s Environmental Health Department between January and March 2008 conditions became so bad that, in agreement with council officers, the premises was voluntarily closed by Mr Toor on March 27 and remains closed to date.

A Gravesham Borough Council spokesman said: “Prosecution is a last resort.

"Officers prefer to work with food business operators informally and advise on how legal requirements can be met. However, on this occasion although initial improvements were made following each visit standards quickly slipped back again without constant supervision.”