Margaret Akande, director of Twiggy Foods Ltd, which ran Haven Foods Cash and Carry at Ever Ready House on Narroways Road, pleaded guilty to 14 offences at Bristol Magistrates’ Court under food safety and hygiene laws.
Health inspectors from Bristol City Council found evidence of mouse and rat infestation, as well as contaminated food that had been gnawed by rodents.
During their visit, the council team spotlighted multiple concerns, including generally dirty premises, a “severe” rat and mouse infestation, and contaminated food that posed a serious risk to public health through food poisoning and the spread of disease.
During an initial inspection on 8 October 2024, Bristol City Council served a hygiene emergency prohibition notice, which closed the premises immediately and stopped all trading.
Just over a month later, on 12 November 2024, the business was allowed to reopen after officers provided help and advice to improve standards.
Conditions soon began to deteriorate, however, leading officers to issue ten hygiene improvement notices in February 2025, requiring significant changes.
Following an unannounced inspection on 29 October 2025, a council team once again found “unacceptable” hygiene levels.
As a result, the business was fined £28,000 for the breaches. This included a contribution of £8,000 towards prosecution costs.
Haven Foods had been a fish, meat and vegetables supplier for the Bristol region, specialising in West African and Nigerian foods.
Cllr Stephen Williams, chair of the public health and communities committee, said: “Where our officers find that basic hygiene requirements and minimum standards are not being met, we will take action to ensure that hygiene standards are achieved, and food is safe to consume.
“We cannot tolerate risks to public health through our food systems and will not allow our advice and guidance to be ignored.”
He added: “Thankfully the need to prosecute businesses to achieve compliance is the exception rather than the rule. We remain vigilant and prepared to pursue legal action where a risk is not dealt with promptly.”
