A noodle bar owner has been fined £18,000 after Ealing Council officers uncovered serious breaches of hygiene regulations.

Andy Ly, 42, owner of Coco Noodle Bar in The Mall, Ealing, pleaded guilty to six hygiene related offences at Ealing Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, January 7.

He was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay £3,695 towards the council’s court costs, totalling £21,695.

A council food hygiene officer inspected the premises in June 2009 and found there were no food safety management systems in place.

There were a number of poor food hygiene practices including storage of frozen food likely to cause contamination and cross-contamination, dirty grease-stained floors, the chiller floor caked in grease and inadequate cleaning records.

The court heard that officers had inspected the restaurant in 2006, when gross contamination was discovered, including a serious rat infestation in the kitchen.

Ly was prosecuted in 2007 and fined £10,000 plus costs. During that time the restaurant also had to be closed for two days while the kitchen was cleaned up.

Cllr Vlod Barchuk, Cabinet Member for Safer Communities, said: “They clearly didn’t learn from their first trip to court so I sincerely hope they take heed this time round. I’m glad the courts have recognised how serious this is and served up such a large fined.

“We simply will not tolerate the safety of residents being put at risk and we will be keeping a close eye on the restaurant to make sure they remain fully compliant with hygiene laws.

“The noodle bar is walking a thin line now. If they are convicted again we will seriously consider making an application to the courts and Mr Ly could face a ban from running a food business in the future.”

Coco Noodle bar has since made satisfactory improvements, Ealing Council said.

Ealing Council is taking part in London’s Scores on the Doors Scheme, where restaurants are awarded zero to five stars after a food hygiene inspection by the council.

By Yasser Peerbux at http://yasserpeerbuxnewsarchive.blogspot.com