A TAKEAWAY owner has been ordered to hand over more than £3,000 after admitting breaching fire safety regulations.

Abdul Wahid, who runs the Kashmir Indian Tandoori Takeaway in Portishead, was flagged up to Avon Fire and Rescue Service (AF&RS) by members of North Somerset Council’s food safety team who discovered possible fire safety breaches at the High Street premises.

These related to a regulation which requires all business owners and managers to ensure a thorough fire safety risk assessment is carried out to protect staff, contractors and customers.

The regulation is enforced by AF&RS, which made three attempts to contact Wahid but without success. As a result, it was decided to take the matter to court.

Wahid appeared at North Somerset Courthouse on Friday when he pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching Article 27 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order.

He was fined £200 per offence, ordered to pay £2,683 in costs and a £20 victim surcharge. The court also told Wahid if he defaults on payment he could face three months in prison.

AF&RS head of technical fire safety Matt Peskett said: “We welcome the outcome of this case. It sends a clear message to all business owners and managers that the fire safety order must not be ignored.

“Following the outcome of this case Mr Wahid has been identified as the person responsible for fire safety measures on the premises and we will now be considering our next move in terms of investigating if any fire safety breaches have occurred.

“I would like to remind all business owners and managers that they need to take their fire safety risk assessments seriously and ensure they have taken steps to make sure that the people working, living or using their premises are safe.”