A Lye restaurant, where a number of serious hygiene failings were discovered, has received significant fines and costs in a case heard at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court on 7th March.

Dudley Council’s environmental health officers took the case against Isha’s in Stourbridge Road, Lye following an inspection in October 2017.

The owners, Rajori Garden Ltd, and the company director, Ram Lal, pleaded guilty to five charges each under food safety and hygiene regulations. The offences included failing to keep walls and floors as well as equipment, including food containers and a microwave, clean and in good repair and condition, storing raw chicken in contact with drinks bottles and failing to implement a food safety management system.

The company were fined £10,800 with £1,478 costs and £170 victim surcharge. Lal was fined £720 with £1,478 costs and £72 victim surcharge.

Dudley council confirmed that the premises has recently been inspected and is now achieving a broadly complaint hygiene rating of 3. Councillor Gaye Partridge, cabinet member responsible for health and wellbeing, said:

"This council works with businesses to secure compliance with the law, we will not hesitate to take legal action against the minority of food businesses proprietors who do not take our advice on board and who fail to meet their legal responsibilities.

"People need to know that the vast majority of food businesses in the borough are well run and compliant with hygiene and safety rules. More than half of all food outlets in the borough are achieving the top hygiene rating of five, with the vast majority achieving a satisfactory rating of three or more.”

Dudley Council environmental health officers carry out regular inspections of food premises in the borough to advise food business owners and ensure they meet all food safety and hygiene requirements.

Ratings in Dudley can be viewed online at dudley.gov.uk/foodsafety.