More Ealing restaurants taken to court

A cockroach in a customer's meal, a mouse infestation and food poisoning from another restaurant. More of Ealing's food businesses have been taken to court for hygiene issues.

In West Ealing, Pan Pizza & China Garden at 177, Uxbridge Road was closed and ordered to pay costs of more than £600 by Ealing Magistrates’ Court (Thursday, 2 October) after a cockroach was found in a customer’s meal.

It's among four eateries in the borough temporarily closed by Ealing Council food hygiene officers in September, due to infestations and poor cleaning. The takeaway was ordered to pay the council’s legal expenses of £611.

The businesses were issued with emergency prohibition notices, closing them immediately, until officers were satisfied extensive pest control cleaning had taken place.

Thai Silom Village at 57, The Mall, Ealing was forced to remain closed for the longest period of time — from 2 - 17 September — to tackle its cockroach problem and ordered to pay the council’s costs of £995; after a customer reported a bout of food poisoning to the council.

A routine inspection by food safety officers uncovered cockroach and cleanliness issues at Dixie Chicken at 6 King Street, Southall; which was subsequently closed down by the council from 18 - 20 September and ordered by the court to pay the council’s costs of £573.

A fourth restaurant, Molana at 78, Uxbridge Road, West Ealing was also shut down for a day by the food safety team on 8 September; after a customer reported seeing a mouse in the dining area. An inspection revealed a mouse infestation at the premises.

Ealing Magistrates’ Court upheld the council’s decision to shut all four restaurants until they cleaned up their acts because of the risk to public health.

The council’s deputy leader and cabinet member for community services and safety, Councillor Ranjit Dheer said:

“Poor hygiene is totally inexcusable especially when you’re in the business of selling food to the general public. I really don’t know how the owners of these businesses thought they could get away with it.”

During the last 12 months Ealing Council has inspected 1,316 food businesses and prosecuted or enforced closures of 38 premises.

Ealing has more food businesses than any other outer London borough and the council say it is one of the most proactive in terms of prosecuting food outlets who endanger the public.

Residents are urged to check the food hygiene rating of local businesses at www.food.gov.uk. Anyone concerned that a business is breaching food hygiene regulations should email foodsafety@ealing.gov.uk or call 020 8825 6666.

6th October 2014