Bicester locals will 'never eat' at cockroach-infested KFC

The defendant, franchisee SBR Retail Limited, pleaded guilty to four food hygiene offences in December and was sentenced at Oxford Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, January 30.

As well as the cockroaches on the Bicester premises in Buckingham Road, dead flies were found in a walk-in fridge, chicken was stored in dirty containers, and a washbasin had faulty drainage.

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The offences were uncovered in August 2022 when the council’s health protection team visited the premises.

Taking to social media, Kim Louise Smith described it as “nasty” and admitted she would never eat there again.

Michelle Florey said: “Why does this not shock me? We always use the one on the A34 as it’s always better than the one in Bicester.”

While Will Dix added it was “another good reason not to eat KFC” as Len Grant joked “new meaning to KFC! Kentucky Fried Cockroach!”

The business voluntarily closed for a period, and since then, it has made improvements and now has a four-star rating.

Marko Bjelić wrote:  “If after all this they can’t get 5 stars that means that their hygiene standards are still low.

“I bought from them before but never again.”

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Councillor Phil Chapman, portfolio holder for healthy and safe communities for Cherwell District Council, said: “Hygienic places to eat out are a key part of what makes our towns attractive and enjoyable, so making sure that takeaways and restaurants are complying with the law is one of our crucial roles.

“We always look to work with businesses to help them follow best practice, but we will not hesitate to take formal enforcement action when necessary.

"This was a shocking case, which the judge agreed put public health at risk.

“This verdict is a positive result for anyone who enjoys eating out in north Oxfordshire and should serve as a reminder to other food businesses to abide by the law.”

As well as the £30,000 fine, the judge awarded Cherwell District Council costs of £5,395.88 and ordered the offender to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge.

The council routinely inspects local food outlets to check how hygienically the food is handled, the condition of the structure of the buildings; and how the business manages and records what it does to ensure food is safe.

The Oxford Mail has approached KFC for comment but the fast food chain has not responded.