News

Three borough businesses fined over hygiene breaches

Moths found in the flour used at a Leyton bakery, reports Victoria Munro, Local Democracy Reporter A bakery where surfaces were swarming with fruit flies […]By Local Democracy Reporting Service

Pest infestations found at Flour Power in Leyton
Pest infestations found at Flour Power in Leyton

Moths found in the flour used at a Leyton bakery, reports Victoria Munro, Local Democracy Reporter

A bakery where surfaces were swarming with fruit flies and the walls were mouldy has been shut down for its appalling hygiene.

Waltham Forest Council officers, who visited on 17th March and took the business to court six days later, reported it was “one of the worst-run food premises they had ever encountered”.

Flour Power Ltd, which traded from a warehouse unit in Argall Avenue, Leyton, had been selling bread to retailers out of a van for six months when officers visited after a tip-off.

Owner Suleyman Cicek, who resigned from a Stoke Newington bread supplier less than three months before setting up the company, refused to admit where he had sold his bread.

Officers were horrified to find dead mice, mouse droppings, moths in the flour, and no running water inside the premises apart from one basin in the toilet. 

On 23rd March, Thames Magistrates Court awarded the council full costs of more than £1,000 and granted a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Order.

Flour Power Ltd, which traded under the name of Cicek’s old company Harvest Bakehouse, was one of three Waltham Forest businesses to appear before the court that week. 

The others were Indian restaurant Insu Inn in Chingford and Walthamstow Chinese takeaway Oriental Kitchen.

At Oriental Kitchen, in Forest Road, officers found “a lack of routine cleaning resulting in a serious accumulation of filth”, a “serious risk of cross-contamination” and a mouse infestation.

The business was ordered to pay full costs of almost £1,100 to the council on 24th March.

Insu Inn, in Cherrydown Avenue, was ordered to pay costs of £980 to the council a day later, after officers discovered another mouse infestation and “unsanitary conditions”.


The Echo needs you. No matter how small, your support makes a difference

Waltham Forest Echo is a community newspaper that holds authority to account, highlights inequality, promotes good causes, and provides a platform for local people. We do real local news with no paywalls, free to read for all. We can only do this with the continued support of our readers. If you can afford to, please consider supporting us with a small monthly, yearly or one-off contribution.

Monthly direct debit 

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month.  £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.

Donate now with Pay Pal

More information on supporting us monthly or annually 

More Information about donations