A food hygiene zero rating sticker at a Ruthin Indian restaurant had been displayed upside down in a window, giving the impression it had the top mark of five, a court was told.
Magistrates at Llandudno were told a council inspection had found out-of-date milk, mouldy food including lamb chops, cheese and red peppers, and a tub of discoloured mayonnaise containing an insect. There had been no antibacterial spray.
Images of food discovered inside New Ocean Pearl Indian restaurant in Ruthin. Images provided by Denbighshire County Council
“Significant improvement was required,” said Julia Longworth, prosecuting for Denbighshire council.
Mohammed Chowdhury, 41, of Whitehead Drive, New Brighton, owner of the New Ocean Pearl Indian restaurant and takeaway at Ruthin, was fined a total of £1,260 and must pay £1,030 costs.
He admitted seven offences alleging he failed to comply with food hygiene regulations and an improvement notice and didn’t display a valid food hygiene sticker.
Hannan Ali, 48, of Norton Crescent, Birmingham, now an unemployed chef, pleaded guilty to five food hygiene offences. He was fined a total of £500 with £530 costs.
Magistrates chairwoman Ann Dickinson told them: "There was a flagrant disregard of the law on numerous visits. We found the photographs of the kitchen quite shocking.”
The prosecutor said a food hygiene inspection had been made in November 2018 and issues found. Mould had developed over a number of weeks.
Chopping boards were in poor condition. By the following day there had been some “limited” improvements.
In February there was a follow-up check and the rating sticker was upside down in the window. “It gave the impression the premises was five-rated as opposed to zero-rated,” Mrs Longworth remarked.
In May, mouldy food was discovered again.
In June, the hygiene sticker wasn’t displayed at all. Only one entry had been made in a “food diary.” A sanitiser bottle appeared unused, the lawyer added.
Carl Buckley, defending, said Chowdhury owned the property and hadn’t spent enough time there because he also worked at Manchester airport. There had been a team of staff at the restaurant.
Mr Buckley said food hygiene courses have been taken. The restaurant still had a zero rating because the defendant hadn’t asked for it to be reconsidered.
Ali’s lawyer said he had a heart condition and was unemployed.
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