A Dagenham cafe has been ordered to pay nearly £2,000 after it failed to provide documents that showed how it disposed of its waste.

The owners of Big Breakfast Café, in Wood Lane, were taken to court by Barking and Dagenham Council last Tuesday (January 11), racking up total costs of £1,973.

KSD Café Limited - which trades under the name Big Breakfast Café - failed to provide its Waste Transfer Notes (WTN) for the past two years after a routine inspection by council enforcement officers on September 27, 2019.

The council said businesses have a duty of care to ensure that their waste is correctly disposed of using a registered waste carrier.

They are required to obtain their WTN for all waste they produce and dispose of for at least two years.

Cabinet member for enforcement and community safety Margaret Mullane said this is to ensure that there is "limited impact on the environment".

The councillor said: “This business not only failed to do this, but also refused to pay the fixed penalty notice and now has to cough up nearly £2,000.

"I hope they have learnt their lesson. Very well done to the officers for their persistence.”

Following the inspection, the cafe was sent a reminder and given an extra seven days to provide their documentation.

When the business failed to do so, it was issued with a fixed penalty notice of £300.

The council said an officer spoke to representatives from the cafe and a notice of intended prosecution was issued, yet the fine remained unpaid.

As a result, the case went to Barkingside Magistrates Court and, after the owners failed to attend, they were found guilty in their absence.

The Dagenham café must now pay a fine of £1,000, costs to Barking and Dagenham Council of £873 and a victim surcharge of £100.