Filthy Chinese restaurant exposed (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Filthy Chinese restaurant exposed

ONE OF Cirencester's most popular eateries - Tatyan's Chinese restaurant - has been fined nearly £10,000 for allowing food to be prepared in filthy conditions which posed a serious risk to customers' health.

Owner, Tatyan Cheung, pleaded guilty to 13 breaches of health regulations this week, which included allowing 15 rods used to clear blocked drains to be stored in a sink next to thawing meat.

Conditions at Tatyan's, which opened 16 years ago in Castle Street, Cirencester were among the worst ever witnessed by health inspectors in the Cotswolds.

James Ellis, prosecuting on behalf of Cotswold District Council's environmental health department, told Cirencester magistrates that the charges related to an inspection on September 25 last year.

He described what health inspector Gareth Harvey discovered in a room where frozen ducks were being thawed in a sink.

"Upon entering the room, he immediately noticed a foul smelling odour, originating from a blocked drain within the corner of the room," he said.

"An accumulation of foul smelling water and debris was observed within the drain."

Five drainage pipes were emptying into an open gully, where waste water had been backing up.

The ducks were thawing in a twin sink next to 15 drainage rods.

He said the floor was filthy, the ceiling was peeling and black mould was growing on the walls.

Mr Ellis said the inspector found further breaches of the Food Safety (general food hygiene) Regulations 1990 in the main kitchen.

The area around the cooking range was dirty, and the extractor unit above was saturated with grease, which was dripping onto an area where meals were being prepared.

Grease was dripping onto the floor under the cooker, where food debris had accumulated.

And foul water was leaking under the cooker from a broken pipe.

A smaller cooking range was also dirty, and grease and food had accumulated on the floor.

The inspector then opened an upright freezer.

"A number of food containers were being stored directly on top of foods including prawns, rice and chicken," said Mr Ellis.

Mr Cheung was told to act immediately to prevent a health risk, which included removing the drainage rods.

Defending himself in court, Mr Cheung said he had staffing problems.

The events of September 11, 2001, meant it took longer for work visas to be issued to Chinese workers.

He vowed to work with CDC to ensure the health problems were resolved. Mr Cheung was fined £9,750 and ordered to pay costs of £2,368.

He accepted the costs, but afterwards said the fine was excessive, adding that he was considering an appeal.