£35,000 fine for closed restaurant ignoring prohibition
An Oxfordshire restaurant was fined £35,000 after it continued to prepare food in prohibited rooms.
The Star and Garter Indian Restaurant was visited in March 2017 by EHOs who found a serious rat infestation. The affected rooms required cleaning, food was found open to contamination and it was clear that recorded checks were not being carried out.
EHOs served a hygiene emergency prohibition notice preventing the further use of the preparation and storage rooms with printed copies of the notices situated at all entrances to the building. Returning to the premises on the two following days, on each occasion EHOs found that staff had concealed the prohibition notices and were continuing to use the unfit areas of the premises.
At the time of the original inspection the restaurant had been awarded zero under the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme.
The Star and Garter Ltd pleaded guilty to nine offences under the food hygiene regulations at Oxford Magistrates Court on 27 February and was fined £35,000 and ordered to pay £2,071 toward the council’s costs and a victim surcharge of £170.
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