MOULDY meat, rat hairs and mouse droppings were some of the horrors discovered at a Southall restaurant which was slapped with a record fine for food hygiene violations.
Officers from Ealing Council uncovered revolting conditions at the Original Lahore Karahi restaurant in Southall’s Featherstone Road.
Manager Mohammed Javaid admitted 10 food hygiene charges at Ealing Magistrates Court when he appeared last Friday (March 9).
A visit to the restaurant in April last year uncovered a catalogue of hygiene breaches including plates with rat hairs on, rat urine on spice containers, mouldy chopping boards, greasy walls and floors, and a grubby walk-in-chiller where stale food was stored.
Mr Javaid admitted to storing meat not fit for human consumption after the officer discovered lamb kebabs covered in mould in the chiller.
There was also a lack of food safety training and supervision and every item of equipment used to prepare food required cleaning.
Mr Javaid was fined £2,000 on each of nine charges, plus £8,000 for the offence of having unfit food.
He was also ordered to pay council costs of £1,979 and a victim surcharge of £15, bringing the total to £27,994 - the highest such penalty recorded in the borough.
After the inspection the council ordered an emergency closure until conditions were improved.
The court heard that Mr Javaid has replaced all staff employed at the time and imposed hygiene training on his new employees.
Councillor Ranjit Dheer, Ealing leader for safer communities, said: “This was one of the dirtiest kitchens our food hygiene officers had seen and the record fine reflects this.
“Serving food from a kitchen this filthy could have endangered lives and there was a clear disregard for cleaning the premises.
“There is no place in Ealing for businesses which operate in this way and we will continue to tackle those who think they can.”
Around three restaurants are closed down every month in Southall for food hygiene offences.
