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Caked in filth, a Tyneside cafe has been ordered to clean up its act because of the state of its kitchen.

Health inspectors found an oven encrusted with carbonised grease, surfaces splattered with food stains, sockets and switches covered in dirt, a filthy meat slicer, storage shelves and cleaning cloths, a dirty floor and food poorly stored in fridges inside Blossom’s Cafe, on Shields Road, in Byker, Newcastle.

The owners of the popular establishment, which offers low-cost meals and serves around 2,000 customers a week, were immediately issued with a notice to improve the cleanliness and hygiene of the premises after the inspection in January this year.

When environment officers returned two months later, they found no improvements had been made and the kitchen was still in a filthy condition.

Ian Hudson, mitigating, told magistrates “this is Shields Road, in Byker, not Darras Hall” when defending the cafe owners in court.

But married couple Jagtar Singh Dhillon and Kamaljeet Dhillon, from Alnmouth Drive, in South Gosforth, pleaded guilty to four charges each of breaching The Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court and were fined £1,500 and ordered to pay nearly £900 in costs.

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Joanne Bagshaw, prosecuting, said the cafe was initially inspected on January 15 this year and given a rating of one, which requires major improvement.

Environment officers wrote to the Dhillons and advised them of what needed to be done before returning on March 3.

Ms Bagshaw said: “As officers entered the premises, it was clear to see that the business was still in the same poor state of cleanliness that it had been in at the time of the inspection in January.”

"Black carbonised grease"

She added: “There was a very poor standard of cleanliness throughout the premises.

“The oven was encrusted with black carbonised grease, preparation surfaces were splattered with food debris, storage shelves were dirty, sockets and switches were covered with grease and food debris and the floor was dirty.

“Further contraventions were noted and photographs taken. At one point, Mr Dhillon placed his hand on the back of an officer and attempted to push her. Following this incident, the food safety team manager was contacted by one of the officers and asked to attend.

“A number of contraventions of food hygiene legislation were identified.

“A meat slicer was covered in food debris, cleaning cloths were visually filthy in appearance and food was poorly stored in the fridge where by food containers were stacked on top of each other often with the underside of one container coming into direct contact with the food in the container below.”

Ian Hudson said the Dhillon’s, who have four children, had thoroughly cleaned the cafe and had invested money in new tiles and flooring since.

He also showed photos to the court taken at the weekend, which showed the “dramatic improvements”.

Mr Hudson said: “This is Shields Road, in Byker, not Darras Hall. They get about 300 customers a day, every day. I have been there myself. Sunday lunch is between £3.95 and £4.95 - they are massive portions and value for money for customers.

“They’re very much valued by the local community and I can’t think of a much poorer area in Newcastle. This has never happened before in their history.”

Cabinet member for regulatory services, Coun Nick Kemp, of Newcastle City Council, said: “It’s at times like this that the public can really appreciate the work of our food hygiene inspectors.

“The name of this cafe may have presented a pleasant image but behind the scenes its kitchen resembled a horror show with its black oven, food splattered work surfaces and greasy, dirty cloths and utensils.

“If this was not bad enough, the abusive way in which the owners treated our officers as they went about this job was appalling.

“In Newcastle we take food hygiene very seriously. I hope that this case is a reminder to everyone serving food to the public of their hygiene responsibilities and the heavy cost they face as we will not hesitate to prosecute them if they endanger the public.”