Lincolnshire restaurant found guilty of 14 food hygiene offences
An Indian restaurant in the Lincolnshire region of North Hykeham has been prosecuted and fined after pleading guilty to a total of 14 food hygiene offences.
The Sarga restaurant on Newark Road was inspected by health and safety officials back in October 2012. Inspectors found a number of worrying problems, including:
- Dirty equipment
- Chicken left defrosting in a bucket
- A bag of flour that was covered in mouse droppings and gnaw marks
- Food that had obviously been gnawed by rodents
- Mould growing on chopping boards
- A freezer that was splashed with blood
As well as these food safety offences, many of which may not have happened if the restaurant’s owners and staff had undergone the proper food hygiene training, the restaurant was also prosecuted for one health and safety offence. This is related to damaged gas pipes.
For failing to comply with food safety legislation and for repeated failures to respond appropriately to warnings and notices from the council, The Sarga’s owner Abdul Samad was ordered to pay fines and court costs totalling £3,015.
Commenting on the case was Councillor Richard Wright, North Kesteven District Council’s executive board member for food hygiene, who said:
“It is essential that the public has confidence in the quality of all food premises across the district, which is why we are so rigorous in carrying out our inspections.”