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13.
August
2019.
Food hygiene inspection results in prosecution

Filth, grime, mouse droppings, rat droppings and disrepair.

That is what was found at the Golden Cow Chinese takeaway on Broadway in Splott in May last year, when officers from the Shared Regulatory Service carried out an inspection following a complaint from a member of the public.

The business voluntarily closed until a deep clean and treatment for pests was carried out and the takeaway re-opened soon after.

A follow up inspection was then carried out in November 2018 and some of the food hygiene breaches reoccurred. In fact, a live mouse was spotted by an officer running around in an outside food storage room.

The business was scored a food hygiene rating of 0 in the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme and the business voluntarily agreed to close part of the business again until the business was thoroughly cleaned, the rodent infestation was eradicated and the required structural work was carried out.

In relation to these issues, the Sole Director, Lin Yun Zheng, 33, from Broadway, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to 8 charges relating food hygiene offences at Cardiff Magistrates' Court last Friday, August 9th.

 

In mitigation, the defence solicitor told the court that prior to the visit in May 2018 Mrs Zheng had only recently cancelled the employment of a pest control company as they appeared to not be doing their job properly and refused to sign a formal contract. The problems apparently arose due to Mrs Zheng trying to run the business as well as look after three children.

Cllr Michael Michael, Cabinet Member responsible for the Shared Regulatory Service at Cardiff Council, said: "When people order takeaway food, they expect the food to be prepared and cooked in a safe environment. Often these days, people don't even see the food business that they are buying from, as the food is delivered to the customers' door. This is why the regulation of food businesses is so important and the reason why it is in the public' interest to publicise any failings which do occur.

"The conditions that were found at the Golden Cow takeaway were far from satisfactory. In fact in court, the culpability of the offence was deemed as ‘high' and the risk level was categorised as ‘Category 1'. In simple terms, this means the level of risk of harm to the customer was deemed to be in one of the highest categories."

Lin Yun Zheng was fined a total of £1,500, ordered to pay costs of £340 and a victim surcharge of £150. Mrs Zheng's husband now runs the takeaway business through a different company name, Golden Cow Ltd and The Food Hygiene Rating of the takeaway is 2 out of 5.