The owners of 2 food businesses infested with mice have been fined thousands of pounds after appearing in court.
Ealing Council’s food safety team discovered infestations of the rodents, including dead bodies, at both premises during investigations.
Immediate closure
Mukhtar Hussain, owner of Southall fast food restaurant Lahori Savour, which is located on The Green, pleaded guilty to a number of charges at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 27 May. They included failing to ensure adequate procedures to control pests and failing to ensure premises were kept clean and maintained in a good state of repair and condition.
Between them, Mr Hussain, of The Green, Southall and Lahori Savour were ordered to pay £20,479 in fines and court costs.
Council officers ordered the restaurant to close following a visit in September 2023 when they found there was an imminent risk to public health due to a mice infestation. In October 2023, the officers revisited and were satisfied that sufficient works were carried out and the imminent risk was removed. The restaurant’s current food rating is 2.
‘Worst mice infestation in the borough’
In a second prosecution that took place earlier last month, the owner of Green Forest Plus Ltd, a food production company in Park Royal, also pleaded guilty to a number of charges. They included failing to ensure adequate procedures to control pests and failing to ensure premises were kept clean and maintained in a good state of repair and condition.
Qing Tian, owner of Green Forest Plus Ltd in Acton, was ordered to pay fines and court costs totalling £8,432 at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 9 May.
Court action was taken after a food hygiene inspection in March 2024. This resulted in council officers ordering the business to close immediately, after finding one of the worst mice infestations they had ever seen in the borough. The business no longer operates in the borough.
‘Supporting our community’
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, the council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “Food businesses have a responsibility to protect their customers by applying the highest possible safety standards to their operations, and our food safety team does everything it can to help businesses maintain these standards. However, we will ensure the minority of businesses that break the rules and gamble with the public’s safety are held accountable.
“Investigating these cases costs the council money, which would be better spent supporting our residents elsewhere. We will continue to crackdown on food businesses with poor hygiene standards. You can play your part in supporting our community by reporting any concerns to our team.”
To tell the council about a food business that you have concerns about, email foodsafety@ealing.gov.uk.
You can check the hygiene rating of a food business on the Food Standards Agency website.
