LONDON: An Indian-owned restaurant in England’s East Midlands region has been shut down by authorities after a hygiene inspection found the takeaway to be serving food infested with mouse droppings, a media report said.
Indian Spicy Food, owned by Balvir Singh, in Derby city was given the emergency prohibition order at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
During a routine hygiene inspection last week, the restaurant was found infested with mouse droppings in food, on the floor and in equipment, the Derby Telegraph reported.
Derby City Council applied for the order after an environmental health officer visited the takeaway in Normanton Road for a routine hygiene inspection last Thursday.
The inspector found mouse droppings in food and other places. Some bread rolls, ready to be served, had been nibbled by mice and were also contaminated by droppings, the court heard.
“As well as the mouse infestation, the premises were filthy. There was quite a lot of food debris, grease and just general dirt,” the officer was quoted as saying.
“The bread rolls were ready to eat and so could be ingested and could cause food poisoning.” Equipment, such as rolling pins, had been put back in a cupboard without being washed.
The court heard that Singh was sentenced at Derby Crown Court last year for breaching food and hygiene regulations and was fined 1,450 pounds and ordered to pay 1,500-pound costs.
The new court order means Singh must keep the takeaway closed until he applies to have the restrictions lifted and environmental health officers deem that the takeaway is of an acceptable standard.
Singh was also ordered to pay 1,573-pound costs. An additional order was made, making it an offence to deface or remove any order put on the premises. –PTI
