A makeshift food business operating out of a shed in Balbriggan, north Dublin, was shut down by authorities last month after serious food safety concerns were uncovered, including evidence of rodent activity and unhygienic conditions.
Heyba’s Kitchen, located in Shed A3 at Bremore Farm, was served a Closure Order by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) on May 24th. Inspectors found the business operating without registration and sharing the shed with an active car workshop, separated only by a head-high fabric curtain.
The FSAI described the premises as posing “a grave and immediate danger to public health.” Their inspection revealed widespread pest issues and inadequate hygiene standards, including:
Rodent droppings under sinks, near food packaging, and beneath shelving
Dead insects, dirt and dust in food preparation areas
Structural problems like open wall and roof gaps, which made pest-proofing impossible
Poorly maintained floor surfaces
No proper pest control systems in place
The shed’s dual use — half as a kitchen, half as a working car garage — further heightened the risk of contamination.
Heyba’s Kitchen was one of ten food businesses hit with Closure Orders in May. An additional five businesses were issued Prohibition Orders, bringing the total enforcement actions for the month to 15. These orders were issued under the FSAI Act, 1998, and EU food safety regulations.
FSAI Chief Executive Greg Dempsey expressed concern over the spike in enforcement actions. “The high number of orders in May is disappointing. Issues like dirty premises and pest infestations are entirely avoidable when businesses follow proper food safety procedures and train their staff,” he said.
Dempsey also stressed the importance of registration: “Every food business must be registered with a competent authority before trading. Operating without oversight not only breaks the law but puts consumers at risk of unsafe or fraudulent food.”
The FSAI is urging all food operators — from home-based sellers to large-scale producers — to ensure they are fully registered and compliant with hygiene standards.
