Newport Council takes enforcement action against city restaurant

Enforcement action taken by Newport City Council has led to two restaurant owners and their business pleading guilty to 53 serious food hygiene offences.

Afzal Miah, Aktar Miah and Desi Kitchen (NPT) Ltd pled guilty to the offences, which all relate to Jewel Balti, 368 Chepstow Road, Newport at Cwmbran Magistrates Court on 18 May.

Officers from the council’s environmental health team visited Jewel Balti in January 2022. The business was open and trading when the officers arrived. The visit was made following complaints of unhygienic conditions at the premises to the council.

Upon inspection, officers found evidence of:

• A significant cockroach infestation affecting equipment and food storage and preparation rooms
• A rat infestation in the outside food and equipment rooms. Rats were observed moving through holes in walls during the visit.
• Decayed pooling food found on the floor, with significant numbers of maggots
• Cooked food found uncovered in the fridge, stored in unsuitable containers
• Prepared ingredients and food equipment stored in unsuitable conditions in which cockroaches were found

The business agreed to a voluntary closure to rectify the issues identified during the inspection.

The council served the business with improvement notices and the inspection resulted in a food hygiene rating of zero – urgent improvement required. The conditions warranted further enforcement.

The issues were not rectified, and the notices were not complied with, leading the council to take action to prosecute the owners.

Due to the serious nature of the offences, the defendants were referred to Newport Crown Court by the magistrates for sentencing, which will take place later in the summer.

Councillor James Clarke, cabinet member for strategic planning, housing and regulation, said: “The council has a duty of care to protect residents and visitors from the sort of conditions that were found in Jewel Balti.

“We will always work with businesses who want to make improvements to their hygiene ratings, but we will act against those who repeatedly show poor, and in this case dangerous, food hygiene management.

“I’m pleased that our enforcement action has led to the guilty pleas, and that the magistrates court recognised the severity of the offences committed.”