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An Indian takeaway in West London has been ordered to pay £12,000 over a 'serious' fly and cockroach infestation. Punjabi Chula, on Station Road in Hayes, was found to be riddled with pests during a routine visit by Hillingdon Council last September.
Health and safety officers also uncovered rotten and unrefrigerated food in preparation areas, posing a severe health risk to customers. The premises showed no signs cleaning, with dirt ingrained throughout, and a hand wash basin completely unused and covered in grime.
Owner Harpeet Singh agreed to shut the business immediately with a view to making improvements, and was permitted to reopen after two follow up inspections. The council served the 37-year-old with formal notices requiring him to comply with food hygiene training and allergen procedures, and provide evidence that a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) procedure was being correctly implemented.
A fourth visit in December revealed these too were not being adhered to, and the HAACP documentation was still not provided by February of this year. While Punjabi Chula had improved its cleanliness, inspectors awarded a hygiene rating of three - 'generally satisfactory'.
In mitigation, the defence outlined that Mr Singh, of Benedict Drive, Feltham, had no previous business experience in this field, was not trained sufficiently to manage a restaurant and regretted his decision to purchase it. He later pleaded guilty to seven offences in breach of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, November 18.
At sentencing, he was fined £5,000, required to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000 and the council's prosecution costs of £5,000 for failing to control and eliminate a cockroach and fly infestation. There there was no separate penalty for the other six offences.
District Judge Kathryn Verghis said: "Mr Singh you are before the Court for seven offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations they are serious matters. You purchased a business with no previous experience in the trade and three weeks after the last closure, I accept your naivety but that does not cancel your legal obligations."
Councillor Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Community and Environment, added: "Businesses serving food have a legal responsibility to uphold basic standards of cleanliness and safe food preparation. Lack of experience or training is no excuse for failing in this duty.
"Our food health and safety officers work tirelessly to inspect businesses and support them to make improvements, but we will not hesitate to intervene and take action if we find any that are not following regulations and putting their customers at risk of serious harm."
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