China Cook takeaway in Blyth and its director fined almost £15,000 for fire safety legislation breach

WCC Food Limited, a company which trades as China Cook, and its 37-year-old boss Zhong Sheng Zhang, from Dene View Drive in Blyth, had been issued with a prohibition notice in order to prevent sleeping on the premises.

But in September 2022, Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service (NFRS) found sleeping materials at the Waterloo Road takeaway, which constituted a breach of the notice.

The company and the director both pleaded guilty to the offence in court and were ordered to pay fines of £5,000 each at a hearing this April.

Furthermore, they were each ordered to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge and costs of £280, bringing the total collective penalty for the company and its director to £14,560.

Richard Leighton, group manager for protection at NFRS, said: “Where breaches of fire safety legislation are so serious that people could face serious injury or even death we will take necessary enforcement action and, when appropriate, prosecute to ensure the safety of our communities.

“This prosecution is a direct result of information which NFRS received from our colleagues from Northumberland County Council’s public protection and environmental health team.

“NFRS works closely with many council departments and partner organisations to deliver an effective, efficient service committed to making Northumberland safer.”

This is the second successful prosecution undertaken against WCC Food Limited for an offence involving a failure to comply with fire safety legislation.