Cockroaches found in pizza shop sink and ice cream

A pizza shop where cockroaches were found living inside an ice cream machine has been forced to pay more than £13,000.

Pizza Roma in Stockport was prosecuted after environmental health officers discovered a "severe cockroach infestation" and unhygienic conditions during an inspection in January 2025.

The Castle Street food premises was dirty, with chicken left out at room temperature and cockroaches - at all lifecycle stages - found throughout the shop; in the sink and on the floors, as well as in the ice cream machine, officers reported.

After a voluntary closure for one week, Pizza Roma reopened on 7 February 2025. The business was charged with 11 food hygiene offences in November.

Councillor Dan Oliver said: "The conditions at Pizza Roma were completely unacceptable and represented a serious risk to public health."

The BBC has contacted Pizza Roma for a response.

The offences included failing to:

• design and maintain the premises to prevent pest infestation
• store food and wrapping materials safely
• keep the premises and equipment clean and in good repair
• supervise and train food handlers
• register the food business
• maintain adequate pest control

Pizza Roma XP Limited was ordered to pay £12,234, including a fine of £2,667, victim surcharge of £1,067, and costs of £8,500.

Touseef Tajammul, 25, was ordered to pay £1,253, including a fine of £538, victim surcharge of £215, and costs of £500.

Oliver said the prosecution "demonstrates our commitment to ensuring food businesses meet rigorous hygiene standards and that customers can trust the safety of the food they buy".

"We will continue to take firm action against businesses that fail to protect the public," he added.

Pizza Roma's last Food Standard's Agency rating was given in April 2025.

The establishment received four out of a possible five-star rating.

It was rated good for its "hygienic food handling" and "cleanliness and condition of facilities and building" on 8 April, and generally satisfactory for its management of food safety.

Stockport Council said: "The business undertook a voluntary closure on 30th January 2025 and reopened on 7th February 2025.

"The business carried out a full deep clean, completed remedial works, and appointed a pest control contractor to address the infestation.

"Officers permitted the business to reopen once these actions had removed the imminent risk to health.

"The premises were re-rated on 8 April 2025, achieving a rating of 4."

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