A trendy cafe has been slapped with a hefty fine after a routine inspection found the kitchen in a shocking state.
The eatery in Brisbane's north-east was hit with a $13,000 fine for failing to comply with the Food Act following a routine audit in July 2018.
Brisbane City Council barrister Greg McGuire told the Magistrates Court cockroaches was found throughout the premises, the Courier Mail reported.
A fancy cafe and bakery has been slapped with a hefty fine after a routine inspection found the kitchen was so dirty it was rife with cockroaches
Inspectors found the cafe's director and part-owner had failed to carry out pest control after noticing the insects two days earlier.
They also found unidentifiable matter in a drain as well as in bread pans, on the floor and walls in parts of the premises.
When confronted one of the part-owners they said 'we don't take them very lightly at all, because we deal with people's lives.'
He claimed to have already booked in pest control for the next day, and admitted the situation was 'unbelievably unacceptable'.
In Brisbane Magistrates Court on Thursday, the part-owner pleaded guilty to four counts each of failing to comply with the Food Act.
They also found unidentifiable matter in a drain as well as in bread pans and on the floor and walls in parts of the premises
When confronted,a part-owner said 'we don't take them very lightly at all, because we deal with people's lives'
Inspectors suspended the cafe's food licence before reinstating it the following day after they fixed the issues.
Barrister Michael Henry told the court the owners contacted a pest controller on the day the cockroaches were found, but the pest company couldn't visit the cafe immediately.
The business had paid pest control to be carried out monthly rather than quarterly as recommended by exterminators.
Magistrate Colin Strofield fined the owner $2000 and no conviction was recorded.
