Council closes Indian restaurant after diner finds cockroach in meal

An Indian restaurant in Earls Court, west London, has been closed by Kensington and Chelsea council after a member of the public found a cockroach in their food.

The Indian Summer restaurant, which had previously been warned about the state of hygiene on the premises, was found to be "severely infested" with cockroaches after a complaint led to an official inspection.

The officers were "appalled" at the number of German cockroaches and the extent of the infestation that was evident in all of the food preparation rooms, despite previous inspections and advice to the business.

The insects were found both dead and alive, not only on surfaces and utensils, but also in food such as rice, flour and dhal.

The council served an Emergency Prohibition Notice, which was ratified on 9 October at West London Magistrates' Court.

The inspection on adjoining premises was completed on 11 October, which confirmed that the infestation had not spread further.

Councillor Fiona Buxton, cabinet member for public health and environmental health, said: "This was a dreadful example of poor hygiene in a restaurant used by many people. The council works hard with good businesses to maintain standards but will deal forcefully with food premises that put the health and safety of customers in jeopardy. I hope the closure of the Indian Summer Restaurant sends this message out very clearly."

The premises will remain closed until the council is satisfied the infestation has been completely eradicated and is confident that the business can be run without risks to the public.

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By Daniel Thomas

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