Chinese takeaway open for 30 years had to close over mouse and cockroach infestation

By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter

A Chinese takeaway which has been open in west London for 30 years had to shut its doors for several days after inspectors uncovered a mouse and cockroach infestation.

New Sweet N Sour, at 93 Uxbridge Road, Shepherd’s Bush, agreed to close on January 30 after being handed a zero food hygiene rating.

The restaurant was allowed to reopen four days later after calling in pest controllers to deal with the cockroach infestation, it has been revealed, despite an inspector saying mice were still an issue.

The full food hygiene report, including photographs, appear to show cockroaches and mice droppings in the kitchen as well as food being left uncovered in a storage area.

One photograph shows what appears to be a storage area with loose tomatoes sitting among piles of clutter, boxes, bicycles and a suitcase. It is unclear which part of the restaurant the photographs were taken in, and what the room is usually used for.

The report also claimed food was being stored in a faulty freezer, leading to it thawing and having to be thrown away.

Hammersmith and Fulham council health inspectors expressed concern about the lack of labelling on foods and the designated bench space to handle raw meat and poultry.

They also claimed there was “no safe method” for the cooking and cooling of rice, which had been left out at room temperature.

In a scathing note, inspectors said: “You were not carrying out any monitoring checks on your fridges or of your hot food. When I asked to see your probe thermometer staff were unable to find it, suggesting that it was not in regular use.

“Monitoring the temperatures of your food/equipment enables you to show that you have analysed the risks associated with your business and have put control measures in place.”

Health inspectors claimed the Shepherd’s Bush takeaway, which has served the area for 30 years according to its website, lacked a proper food safety system and had barely used a guide given to staff.

When inspectors returned on February 3, they praised attempts to rid the basement of cockroaches and allowed the restaurant to reopen, despite telling them they still had a mouse infestation.

They wrote: “Droppings were observed in the rear kitchen area and in the dry store at the time of my re-visit. The area under the kitchen shelving in the back corner must be completely cleared to allow identification of the access point and proofing methods must be employed.

Inspectors urged New Sweet N Sour to carry out deep cleans more regularly, and to block off any access points for mice and cockroaches.

Separate to the council hygiene report, in a Google review posted online, a customer said he noticed mice running around the back of the restaurant.

New Sweet N Sour was contacted multiple times to respond to the findings in the hygiene report, but did not provide one by the time of publication.

Pictured top: Left, New Sweet N Sour in Uxbridge Road. Right, mouse droppings seen at the restaurant (Picture: Google Street View/Hammersmith and Fulham council)