A catering company in Southall has been fined for breaching food hygiene regulations.

Rainbow Catering London Ltd was fined £15,000 following an investigation by Environmental Health officers, after complaints about a possible outbreak of food poisoning linked to dishes served at the premises.

The business trading out of Monsoon Banqueting Hall, 100 The Green, Southall, Middlesex, UB2 4BG pleaded guilty to eight food hygiene offences at Ealing Magistrates’ Court. It was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay the council’s full costs of £2,672.

Monsoon Banqueting Hall is now under new ownership and Rainbow Catering London Ltd no longer trades from Monsoon Banqueting Hall.

The premises was visited by the council’s food hygiene officers who found high levels of clostridium perfringens bacteria, which can cause food poisoning, in samples of pre-cooked lamb curry in the chiller and curry sauce in pans found on the floor of the kitchen.

Officers found mouse droppings throughout the kitchen, washing area, food storage area and bar. They also found a build-up of old food debris and mouldy seals around the sink in the kitchen.

Food handlers and chefs were not following basic food hygiene rules and the business had inadequate food preparation, cooking and cooling procedures to minimise the potential for cross contamination and breeding of bacteria.

Swabs taken during the inspection highlighted the presence of the bacteria enterococci on a vegetable chopping board, paneer preparation table and cloth. The bacteria indicates that staff may not have been washing their hands after visiting the toilet.

Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for community services and safety, said: "This company operated in filthy conditions and showed no concern for the people who might end up eating the food. There were blatant breaches of the hygiene rules which put people’s health at risk."

"We will continue to take action against businesses who choose to operate like this, it’s completely unacceptable and we don’t want it in our borough."

This is the fourth business in Southall to be fined for breaching food hygiene regulations in recent weeks.