By Sohaib Shams
A husband and wife who ran a bakery in Gosport, Hampshire, have been barred from the food trade after pleading guilty to 11 counts of failing to comply with food hygiene laws. Nicholas and Rosslyn Green owned Phoenix Bakery, where inspections between January and August 2025 uncovered what a judge described as "stomach-turning" conditions.
Inspection reveals severe violations
Environmental health officers found dead ants in fondant, freezers thick with dirt, dead flies in a microwave, and finger marks in a box of margarine. Bacon was stored in a yellow substance staff claimed was orange juice, while cooked and uncooked meats shared the same fridge. Multiple items were frozen into a single block, and rotting lettuce was discovered in a refrigerator.
Owner defends using spoiled produce
When confronted about the lettuce, Mr Green told officers it was acceptable "if you take off the outer layers" and "just use the inner part." The bakery received a zero food hygiene rating in July 2026 and was shut down for critical failures in food handling, facility cleanliness, and safety management.
Court imposes penalties and prohibition orders
At Portsmouth Crown Court, Judge Daniel Sawyer said hygiene levels were "somewhere between woeful and non-existent" and noted Mr Green's belief that enforcement was a vendetta. Mr Green was sentenced to 50 hours of community service and ordered to pay £5,000 in costs. Mrs Green, described as having a supervisory role, received a conditional discharge and £2,108 in costs. Both are subject to a Hygiene Prohibition Order, preventing them from owning or operating a food business without further court approval.
New business operates at same premises
A new venture, Alby And Alfie Café And Bakery, now operates from the same location. Companies House lists Mr Green as its sole director, and the establishment currently holds a food hygiene rating of two.
