Cockroach-infested restaurant closed for second time for having no hot water

A restaurant owner and his company have been fined more than £3,500 after a cockroach infestation was found following a tip off from a member of the public.

Motiur Rahman, 51, from Cardiff, who owned Spice Kitchen Ltd, pleaded guilty at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on 2 September to food hygiene offences.

An investigation at his premises in Birchgrove, then trading as Delhi Cuisine, in October of 2024 found the business had been open and trading during a cockroach infestation.

The restaurant closed voluntary, later reopening as Grand Sylhet, before shutting again after officers found the business was trading without hot water.

Shared Regulatory Services (SRS), which provides environmental health, trading standards and licensing enforcement, also found the newly named restaurant had "high-risk handling activities" with both raw and ready-to-eat food, despite there being no safe means of washing hands or equipment.

Grand Sylhet was voluntarily closed until water was restored.

"Food businesses have a legal responsibility to ensure appropriate food hygiene standards are maintained and ensure food is prepared in a safe environment," said Ed Stubbs, Cardiff council cabinet member with responsibilities for SRS.

"The conditions identified during these inspections presented unacceptable risks and required immediate action to protect public health."

"We will continue to take robust enforcement action where serious food safety breaches are found and will not hesitate to prosecute businesses that fail to comply with food hygiene legislation."

Rahman was fined £240 and ordered to pay costs of £200, with a victim surcharge of £96.

Spice Kitchen Ltd was fined £2,000, ordered to pay £200 in costs with a victim surcharge of £800.