Copy of Harlington Tandoori Fined Over £22,000 After Cockroach Infestation and Repeated Hygiene Violations

A Harlington-based restaurant has been hit with a hefty fine after an investigation revealed a severe cockroach infestation, despite a previous conviction for similar hygiene failings.

Cockroaches found at the premises | IMAGE: LBH

Heathrow Tandoori Limited, trading as Harlington Tandoori, and its manager Joshua Money, 31, were both ordered to pay a combined £22,498.75 following an inspection by Hillingdon Council’s food safety officers.

The fine stems from an unannounced visit on 28 September 2023, after a customer reported spotting a cockroach crawling across their table. Upon investigation, officers discovered hundreds of cockroaches throughout the restaurant, including the kitchen, bar area, and external stockroom. In addition, dirty cooking equipment and unlabelled food items were found, leading to the immediate closure of the premises.

Despite efforts to address the infestation, including the involvement of a specialist contractor, the restaurant was not in full compliance with hygiene standards by the time it reopened on 24 October 2023. A series of follow-up inspections showed that, while some improvements had been made, serious hygiene issues persisted, resulting in two improvement notices being issued on 13 December 2023. A further visit on 20 February 2024 revealed that while some progress had been made, significant issues remained.

For failing to manage food safety and hygiene effectively, Money was fined £512, given a £205 victim surcharge, and ordered to pay £1,890 in prosecution costs, bringing his total to £2,607. In addition, he was handed a hygiene prohibition order, preventing him from managing any food business for the next 18 months.

The restaurant's parent company, Heathrow Tandoori Limited, was fined £16,000, with an additional £2,000 victim surcharge and £1,891.75 in costs, bringing its total to £19,891.75. This is not the first time the business has faced such scrutiny; in 2018, it was fined £4,933 for similar issues relating to pest control and cleanliness.

Local resident Farida Ahmed, who lives nearby and has dined at the restaurant, voiced her disgust following the news. “It just makes me feel sick knowing that’s where my food was prepared,” she said. “I can’t even talk about it; it is so disgusting."

Councillor Eddie Lavery, Cabinet Member for Community and Environment at Hillingdon Council, expressed his shock at the restaurant's repeated hygiene failures. “This is a shocking case, where despite a previous conviction and multiple improvement notices, this restaurant consistently failed to uphold basic standards of cleanliness, putting residents' health and safety at a high risk," he said. "As a consequence, they must now pay the price for their actions. I hope it serves as a strong warning to other businesses that neglecting food hygiene and training will not be tolerated.”

Hillingdon Council has urged residents to report any suspected food hygiene issues through its website, ensuring that businesses uphold the highest standards of safety for the community.

For more information on food hygiene inspections or to report suspected food crimes, visit www.hillingdon.gov.uk/food-hygiene.