An Indian takeaway has been ordered to pay £12,000 after a Hillingdon Council investigation discovered a cockroach and fly infestation, hygiene failures, dirty and damaged kitchen equipment, expired products and poor food storage posing a significant health risk to customers.
Harpreet Singh (37), of Benedict Drive, Feltham, former company director of Bhagat Thind Limited (since dissolved) which, traded as Punjabi Chula, 61 Station Road, Hayes, pleaded guilty to seven offences in breach of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on Tuesday 18 November.
He was fined £5,000, required to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000 and the council's prosecution costs of £5,000 for failing to control and eliminate a cockroach and fly infestation, there was no separate penalty for the other six offences.
On 18 September 2024, council food hygiene and safety officers carried out a routine inspection of the premises and found dirt ingrained throughout the premises with no signs of cleaning, equipment in disrepair, a hand wash basin completely unused and covered in grime, and no shelf life or temperature controls with food being stored on the floor.
Officers also uncovered expired food items alongside cockroaches and flies in food preparation areas.
Given the significant risk to the health of customers due to the infestation and poor conditions, Singh agreed to close the business with immediate effect to make the required improvements.
Officers permitted the takeaway to reopen after two follow up visits on 25 and 30 September 2024 indicated steps had been taken to tackle the pest problem and clean the kitchen.
To prevent further food safety infringements and improve food hygiene, the council served the business with formal notices requiring compliance with food hygiene training, allergen procedures, and evidence that a Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) procedure was being correctly implemented.
However, a visit on 5 December 2024 revealed the notices were not being complied with.
While another inspection on 20 February 2025, showed some improvement in cleaning, there was a continued failure to provide the required HACCP documentation and Punjabi Chula was awarded a hygiene rating of three 'Generally Satisfactory'.
In mitigation, the defence outlined that Singh had no previous business experience in this field, was not trained sufficiently to manage a restaurant and regretted his decision to purchase it.
The District Judge, Verghis, on sentencing said, "Mr Singh you are before the Court for seven offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations they are serious matters. You purchased a business with no previous experience in the trade and three weeks after the last closure, I accept your naivety but that does not cancel your legal obligations."
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council's Cabinet Member for Community and Environment, said: "Businesses serving food have a legal responsibility to uphold basic standards of cleanliness and safe food preparation. Lack of experience or training is no excuse for failing in this duty.
"Our food health and safety officers work tirelessly to inspect businesses and support them to make improvements, but we will not hesitate to intervene and take action if we find any that are not following regulations and putting their customers at risk of serious harm."
Find out more about the council's food hygiene inspections or report a problem at www.hillingdon.gov.uk/food-hygiene.
