A popular curry house has been fined thousands after breaching hygiene regulations.
The Garden Of India in Fawcett Street was prosecuted by City of York Council for a total of eight offences.
On the first visit, inspectors were handed inaccurate documentation and a number of safety risks were found, including ice cubes for customers’ drinks stored in a freezer with raw chicken, a lack of cleaning chemicals, and raw meat being stored on the draining board of a sink where crockery was supposed to be cleaned.
Inspectors also found dirty equipment in the dirty kitchen, which increased the risk of food contamination, and ordered improvements.
But despite a second inspection taking place on October 24, council bosses said there had been little attempt made to correct the situation, and the inspector said conditions had actually worsened.
Tracey Simpson-Laing, council cabinet member for safer communities, blasted the revelations as an ‘unacceptable cost to the health service’.
“Those who run food premises need to realise that contamination not only leads to potential illness but creates an unacceptable cost to the health service.”
She added: “Where conditions such as these threaten the health of customers, we will take action against poor food hygiene.
“This result shows that we will not be complacent and that we will take action when residents’ safety could be compromised.”
Owner of 23 years Shahin Miah told The Press: “Everything that was an issue has now been redone. The hygiene issues have all been taken care of.
“We’re struggling at the moment; the council are making it hard for everyone. At the end of the day, we’re just trying to survive.”
Miah, who pleaded guilty to the offences before York Magistrates’ Court on July 10, was fined £2,400.
He was also charged £1,581.82 for court costs and £30 victim surcharge.
The council confirmed another inspection had taken place in recent weeks, and the restaurant now holds a three-star hygiene rating.
This follows news that a string of York restaurants were awarded with zero star food hygiene ratings last month.