Dirt, droppings and a dead rat: Dudley Indian restaurant's £7,000 payout for hygiene failings
The owners of an Indian restaurant have been forced to fork out more than £7,000 after an inspection uncovered mouldy walls and rat droppings under a sink.
Dudley Council took action over the shocking findings at Pedro's Indian Cuisine in Market Street, Kingswinford.
A dead rat was found in the side alleyway, while droppings were discovered among filthy conditions in the kitchen where the floor and walls were dirty and mouldy, council bosses said.
Food storage containers were also dirty and rotting coriander and cauliflower was found in a fridge.
Staff had been given no food hygiene training and an adequate food safety management system was not in place. The restaurant was given the lowest possible hygiene rating of zero following the inspection in August last year.
Owners Pedro's Fine Eatery pleaded guilty to eight offences under food hygiene and safety regulations at Dudley Magistrates Court on September 1.
They were fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,216 and £120 victim surcharge.
In a separate case, the New Chicken Hut in Brierley Hill was also slapped with a fine.
Inspectors found dirty floors, walls, basins and fridges at the High Street takeaway.
Equipment including a frying basket and chopping boards was damaged.
Staff there had also not been trained and there was no adequate food safety management system.
Boss Naeem Khan pleaded guilty to seven offences under food hygiene and safety regulations at Dudley Magistrates Court.
The 46-year-old was fined £300 and ordered to pay costs of £1,750 and a victim surcharge of £20.
Dudley Council's health boss Councillor Rachel Harris said: "We much prefer to work with businesses to secure compliance with the law, but we will not hesitate to take legal action against the minority of food business proprietors who do not take our advice on board and who fail to meet their legal responsibilities.
"Nearly half of all food outlets in the borough are achieving the top hygiene rating of five and the vast majority achieve a satisfactory rating of three or more. "I would urge consumers to check out hygiene ratings online as these will give consumers a glimpse of what is going on in the kitchen when they eat out, or behind the scenes at the places they shop."
Conditions appear to have appeared at both businesses which recently received satisfactory hygiene ratings of three out of five.
No one was available for comment from the restaurant and takeaway when contacted.
