Enforcement action taken against rat and cockroach infested restaurant

A Welsh council has taken enforcement action against two business owners after their restaurant was found to be infested with rats and cockroaches.

Officers from Newport City Council’s environmental health team visited Jewel Balti in Newport in January 2022 following complaints of unhygienic conditions at the premises.

Upon inspection, officers found evidence of a “significant” cockroach infestation affecting equipment, food storage and
preparation rooms.

A rat infestation was also found by officers in the outside food and equipment rooms and rats were observed moving through holes in walls during the visit.

Decayed pooling food on the floor with significant numbers of maggots was photographed during the inspection and cooked food was found uncovered in the fridge stored in unsuitable containers.

Prepared ingredients and food equipment were also found stored in unsuitable conditions with cockroaches inside.

The business owners agreed to a voluntary closure to rectify the issues identified during the inspection and the council served the business with improvement notices and a food hygiene rating of zero – urgent improvement required.

Notices

Newport City Council say the issues at the restaurant were not rectified, and the notices were not complied with, leading the council to take action to prosecute the owners.

Afzal Miah, Aktar Miah and Desi Kitchen (NPT) Ltd pled guilty to 53 serious food hygiene offences, which all related to Jewel Balti in Newport at Cwmbran Magistrates Court on 18 May.

Due to the serious nature of the offences, the defendants were referred to Newport Crown Court by the magistrates for sentencing, which will take place later in the summer.

Councillor James Clarke, cabinet member for strategic planning, housing and regulation, said: “The council has a duty of care to protect residents and visitors from the sort of conditions that were found in Jewel Balti.

“We will always work with businesses who want to make improvements to their hygiene ratings, but we will act against those who repeatedly show poor, and in this case dangerous, food hygiene management.

“I’m pleased that our enforcement action has led to the guilty pleas and that the magistrates court recognised the severity of the offences committed.”