Cockroaches seen climbing over surfaces at Leicester takeaway

Health inspectors closed down a Leicester takeaway restaurant after seeing cockroaches climbing over surfaces in the kitchen.

They also found rotting scraps in the food preparation area at the Royal Chicken and Pizza, in Evington Road, Leicester, magistrates heard yesterday.

City council officers ordered the emergency shut down after carrying out the routine inspection at the takeaway.

Environmental health officer Kate Lea yesterday told Leicester Magistrates' Court: "There was widespread infestation of live and dead cockroaches in the kitchen and the wash up area.

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"There was rotting food debris on, and under, the surfaces and we concluded it posed an imminent risk of injury to health.

"We issued an emergency prohibition order and the business ceased operating."

She said the major risk to health was the large numbers of cockroaches present.

Mrs Lea gave evidence at court yesterday after applying for a declaration from the court to endorse closing the premises down until the threat to health was removed.

Mrs Lea said she conducted a follow-up visit on Monday morning, three hours before the hearing, and found the situation had improved markedly.

She said there was a reduced presence of cockroaches, that the restaurant had been thoroughly cleaned and holes in walls had been sealed.

She said the officers were satisfied the premises no longer posed a threat to health and lifted the closure order shortly after 11am.

The authority will now carry out follow up further inspections to ensure standards are maintained.

Shilpa Thakrar, representing the city council, said the investigation at the restaurant had cost £525 to carry out and legal costs were an additional £200.

District Judge Timothy Daber confirmed the council had acted properly in temporarily shutting the premises.

He said: "There was an imminent risk of injury to health. I am pleased to say that is no longer the case."

He ordered that manager Waqas Akhter should pay the full costs after Mr Akhter accepted the council's application.

Mr Akhter said after the hearing: "I had been away on holiday and I knew nothing about the cockroaches. I came back to this and took action. Things are much better now."

Mr Akhter, who has been in charge of the takeaway for about a year, said he would continue to co-operate with the environmental health officers at the city council.