Pizza Hut has been fined over £30,000 after rats gnawed on sauce pots and jalapenos packaging.
A rat infestation was discovered at the restaurant pizza branch in Ponders End when Enfield Council visited on October 14 2022.
Officers found rat droppings, gnawed food products, poor pest-proofing and “a lack of cleanliness”.
In follow-up visits the council found inadequate cleaning practices throughout the restaurant, raising concerns about surfaces used to prepare food.
Pictures from the council visits show rat gnaw marks on sliced green jalapenos pizza topping packaging.
Rat droppings and gnaw marks were also found on sauce pots under shelving in the storeroom.
The Pizza Hut branch was handed a one-star hygiene rating.
The sole company director of Exultant Limited, Mizan Syed, who is the franchisee at the Pizza Hut takeaway, immediately and voluntarily closed the premises due to an imminent risk to public health.
Exultant Limited pleaded guilty to all charges at a hearing at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on December 7 2023.
Mr Syed from High Wycombe, pleaded not guilty.
At the conclusion of the prosecution’s case on the first day of trial on September 16, Mr Syed made an application of ‘no case to answer’.
After hearing Mr Syed’s defence the District Judge found him guilty of all charges.
The restaurant was fined a total of £30,586.52 for breaching food safety and hygiene regulations.
Exultant Limited was fined £20,000 with costs of £1,258.41 while Mr Syed was fined £2,000 with costs of £6,528.41 and a surcharge of £800.
A Pizza Hut spokesperson said: “At Pizza Hut, we take the health and safety of our customers and our restaurants very seriously and there are certain health and safety standards we expect all our Huts to uphold.
“We are aware of this situation and we are in touch with the Pizza Hut in question”.
