jasons cab: Filthy Chinese restaurant fined �5,000 by Loughborough magistrates

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Filthy Chinese restaurant fined �5,000 by Loughborough magistrates

The owner of a Chinese restaurant has been fined more than �5,000 after environmental health officers discovered filthy and unhygienic conditions in its kitchen.

Charnwood Borough Council officials found cobwebs, food debris and rubbish stacked behind a cooker and grease on the walls and floor during a spot check at the Maxim Cantonese restaurant, in Loughborough.

They also discovered dirty cloths lying next to prepared food and uncovered containers of raw meat next to cooked items in a refrigerator, exposing food to potential contamination.

Inspectors were so concerned about the potential health risks posed to diners at the Leicester Road restaurant, they decided to issue an on-the-spot closure order and to prosecute owner Hie Li.

The 26-year-old, of Moor Lane, Loughborough, was charged with breaching six food hygiene regulations when she appeared before the town's magistrates last week.

She admitted failing to provide written guidance on how staff should store, prepare, cook and serve food, and not keeping the premises clean and in good repair.

She also admitted failing to effectively clean and disinfect fittings and equipment, failing to protect food from contamination, failing to ensure food handlers were supervised or trained in food hygiene matters and failing to provide an adequate number of wash basins for staff – as well as not having hot running water and materials for cleaning hands.

The court heard council officials made the routine visit to Maxim on June 17 last year. The following day, the restaurant was re-inspected and, as the hot water supply had been reinstated, officers agreed the business could re-open.

Li was fine �5,100 and ordered to pay �997.84 prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of �15.

After the hearing, John Bush, the council's cabinet member for housing and health, said: "The conditions discovered by our officers were cause for great concern and they took swift action to ensure the public was protected.

"We will always seek to take firm action against any business which poses such a risk."

No-one from the restaurant was available for comment.