Serious Hygiene Breaches Found at Abi Fast Food
Southall takeaway had a toilet opening onto food preparation area
Abi Fast Food is at 233 The Broadway
July 29, 2026
A Southall fast-food restaurant has been fined thousands of pounds after repeated food safety failures, including unsafe storage of high-risk foods, poor hygiene standards and a toilet opening directly into a food preparation area.
SAI20 Limited, trading as Abi Fast Food at 233 The Broadway, and its director Velventhan Ganesalingham, pleaded guilty to six offences each following an investigation by Ealing Council’s food safety team. The case was heard at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 8 July.
The court was told that officers uncovered serious hygiene breaches during multiple inspections in 2025. The investigation began with a routine visit in January, when inspectors found meat curries and other high-risk foods being kept at unsafe temperatures, evidence of cross-contamination risks, poor cleaning standards, inadequate staff training and no functioning food safety management system. The council issued legal improvement notices requiring urgent action.
However, when officers returned in March, they found the notices had not been complied with. Staff were unable to answer basic food safety questions, food safety records were blank or incomplete, and hygiene risks remained in the preparation areas.
A further inspection in May revealed even more serious concerns. Around 20kg of high-risk food, including curries, rice and meat dishes, was voluntarily surrendered after officers found it had been left at room temperature and not properly refrigerated. Inspectors also reported poor cleaning throughout the premises and structural defects that made effective cleaning difficult.
One of the most concerning issues was a toilet opening directly into a food preparation room, despite previous advice to change the layout. Food handlers also demonstrated poor knowledge of hygiene requirements.
At court, the company admitted offences including failing to comply with two Hygiene Improvement Notices, failing to keep premises clean and in good repair, failing to ensure staff were properly trained, allowing a toilet to open into a food preparation area, and failing to keep high-risk food at safe temperatures.
SAI20 Limited was fined £2,000, ordered to pay £4,000 in costs, and given an £800 victim surcharge, totalling £6,800. Mr Ganesalingham was fined £600, ordered to pay £1,180.70 in costs, and given a £240 victim surcharge.
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, cabinet member for decent living incomes, said the case showed the importance of maintaining basic food hygiene standards. “Food businesses have a legal duty to ensure the food they sell is safe for their customers. In this case, officers found serious and repeated failures, despite giving advice and serving formal notices requiring improvements.”
She added: “Our food safety team works hard to protect residents and visitors. The council will continue to take action against businesses that put public health at risk.”
Abi Fast Food remains subject to ongoing monitoring by the council.
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