A takeaway food business and its director have been ordered to pay thousands of pounds after landing in court over dirty and unsafe conditions.
Kabuli Grill Limited, trading as Kabuli Charcoal Grill, in Grand Union Enterprise Park, Southall, and its sole director, Shabaz Ahmad, of Scarle Road in Wembley, were found guilty of 4 food safety offences after a trial at Ealing Magistrates’ Court on 14 August.
Court action was brought by Ealing Council after a food hygiene inspection found dirty, unhygienic conditions, despite previous warnings from council officers.
Kabuli Grill Limited and Mr Ahmed were found guilty of four offences – failure to register the food business correctly; poor cleanliness and maintenance; failure to protect food from contamination; and unsafe temperature control of high-risk foods.
The company was fined £500 for each of the 4 offences – a total of £2,000 – and ordered to pay a further £2,000 in costs and an £800 victim surcharge. Mr Ahmad received the same penalties, bringing the total amount ordered against both defendants to £9,600.
Repeated food safety failings
The prosecution followed an unannounced inspection by Ealing Council’s food safety team in May 2025 which uncovered a wide range of hygiene and food safety problems throughout the business, which operates from a trailer on an industrial estate.
Officers found dirty food preparation areas showing a build-up of grease and food debris. The premises was also in poor condition, dirty electrical fittings, damaged surfaces and door frames, dirty shelving, and drainage problems.
Officers also found food stored in dirty containers, raw meat partially wrapped and stored above buckets of other food, and rice stored in a dirty bucket next to cleaning chemicals.
High-risk foods were also being kept at temperatures that could make them unsafe to eat. Officers discovered yoghurt, chutney, rice, noodles, gravy, and lamb curry being kept at room temperature, which could quickly allow harmful bacteria to grow.
Warnings and advice ignored
The court heard that this was not the first time the business had come to the council’s attention.
Magistrates were told that previous inspections had found serious food hygiene failings at the business, including pest control concerns, poor food safety practices and inadequate cleaning standards, which led to enforcement action at the time.
Protecting public health
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, the council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “Food businesses have a legal responsibility to keep people safe. The standards found at this takeaway fell well below what residents should expect.
“The council worked with the business over a long period, gave advice, issued notices, and explained what needed to change. Despite that, serious problems continued.
“We will continue to take the strongest possible action against businesses that break food safety laws and put the public at risk.”
Stay safe
If you are planning to eat out, check the business’s hygiene rating first.
To tell the council about a food business that you have concerns about, email foodsafety@ealing.gov.uk
