Food Safety: Restaurant owner pleads guilty to food hygiene offences

The owner of a Sutton town centre restaurant has pleaded guilty to a string of offences that put the health of diners at risk. (Photo Gallery Below)

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Faruk Ahmed, who runs Indiya Indiya, 354 High Street, Sutton, admitted 13 breaches of food hygiene laws when he appeared before Croydon Magistrates Court.

The court was told environmental health officers from Sutton Council found flour stored in a dustbin in a shed, onion bhajis wrapped in old newspaper and put in a bucket, cooked food stored on the floor and a lack of basic hygiene during a routine inspection of the restaurant’s kitchen in January 2011.

Inspectors also reported a dirty and stained chopping board being used for food preparation, no soap in either the kitchen or toilet and a toilet that opened directly into the kitchen. There was also a gap under the rear kitchen door large enough for rodents to enter.

Prosecutor Peter Rollins told Croydon Magistrates Court: “The inspectors discovered a catalogue of offences relating to the storage and handling of food. There were major concerns about the standards about the standard of hygiene throughout.”

A repeat inspection in October 2011, found a large number of improvements had been made but there were still a number of hygiene issues, prompting the court action.

In defence, Mr Ahmed said he deeply regretted the offences and had taken further steps since the inspection to rectify the situation.

Cllr Simon Wales, Executive Member for Communities, Transport and Voluntary Sector at Sutton Council, said: “The lack of basic hygiene demonstrated by Mr Ahmed was frankly disgusting. It’s regrettable that it took this course of action to make him change his behaviour and take responsibility.

“The council takes food hygiene very seriously; our residents ought to feel confident that when they eat out in Sutton they will be eating food that is not only tasty but was also prepared in clean, hygienic surroundings.”

The magistrates adjourned sentencing until December 16 to seek more information about Mr Ahmed’s financial situation. Each offence carries a maximum fine of £5,000.

Sutton Council recently joined the Food Standards Agency’s hygiene ratings scheme, which lists the inspection results of all food businesses in the town centre. After a follow up inspection on 24 October, Indiya Indiya was given a ‘one’ rating, up from its previous rating of ‘zero’, meaning major improvement is still necessary.

 

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