Dirty Wednesbury restaurant told to pay court bill of £4,100
A Wednesbury restaurant has landed a £4,100 court bill after it was found to have dirty kitchens and did not have any running water.
The Dilshad restaurant, in Crankhall Lane, also failed to store food properly and had rubbish overflowing in the yard.
Sandwell Council's environmental health team took 29-year-old Abdul Shamim, who runs the restaurant, to court following an inspection there in May 2012.
During their inspection, council officers found a dirty kitchen floor as well as grease and food debris on walls, cooking equipment and a freezer.
They discovered that there was no running water, which meant there was no way of properly washing food, hands and equipment.
The court was also told that raw meat and poultry, and ready-to-eat foods, were stored too closely together in the freezer and fridge giving a risk of cross-contamination. The bin at the side of the restaurant was also overflowing, with rubbish in the yard.
Following the inspection, the restaurant voluntarily closed for a week so it could be given a deep clean and the water could be switched back on. Environmental health officers allowed it to reopen after a further inspection.
Shamim pleaded guilty to eight charges under food hygiene regulations when he appeared at Sandwell Magistrates' Court last Tuesday, June 18.
The court fined him £320 for each offence, and ordered him to pay the council £1,554 in costs.
After the court case Councillor Paul Moore, the council's cabinet member for health and wellbeing, said: "Public safety is our top concern and it's very important that businesses serving food keep their premises in a clean and safe condition.
"Although the overwhelming majority of business owners in Sandwell are responsible, I hope this case fires a warning that Sandwell Council will not hesitate to take action against those who do not meet acceptable standards."
