Dirty kitchen owner fined

China City, in King Street, Dawley, was "a risk to human health" when environmental health officers visited on August 10, 2006.

Today, owner Ka Fai Woo was fined £4,500 after he admitted nine offences under food hygiene regulations.

At the hearing at Telford Magistrates Court, he was also ordered to pay £1,200 costs.

Mrs Lorraine Fowkes, prosecuting on behalf of Telford & Wrekin Council, said Woo had received two warnings about the state of his restaurant.

She said officers who inspected the property discovered mouldy food, believed to be root ginger, in a fridge, drains blocked with congealed grease and windows left open, letting flies in.

Officers also found accumulations of dirty grease and food debris throughout the premises. Exterior drains and an extractor hood in the kitchen were found to be blocked with grease.

Woo also admitted failing to put in place a system to keep the premises cleaned, owning fridges with damaged seals, not keeping any towels for staff to dry their hands and defrosting food such as meat and king prawns at room temperature, contrary to guidelines.

Mrs Foulkes said: "The council takes these matters very seriously and customers have a right to expect food safety standards are met. Inspections showed these standards fell well below those expected.

"Although no food poisoning occurred, the premises posed numerous contamination hazards and were therefore a risk to human health.

"This appears to be a long-term issue, rather than a temporary lapse."

Mr David Payne, for Woo, said his client had voluntarily closed the restaurant after the inspection.

He said Woo and his staff worked through the night to clean the place up after closing the restaurant and satisfied officers the next day that it was fit to reopen.

Mr Payne said: "The restaurant has been running for about 12 years and the occasion on August 10 was the first time it had had to shut."

By Andy Walker