Owners of cockroach-infested Cardiff cafe fined £1,500

Cockroaches were found being swept from counters at the Cardiff takeaway

A couple have been fined £1,500 after inspectors found their takeaway café was infested with cockroaches.

One of the owners of the Cardiff premises was seen sweeping live insects off a counter during an unannounced food hygiene inspection.

A full inspection of Mr Tikka on City Road uncovered up to 100 roaches - alive and dead - including some under tables where customers ate.

Rubi Begum was fined £1,000, and Munim Khan £500, by Cardiff magistrates.

The couple were also ordered to pay £450 in costs, after being prosecuted by Cardiff council.

It followed the routine visit by council staff in May 2019 to the café, which serves sandwiches, curry dishes and baked potatoes.

The café on Cardiff's City Road was closed while food hygiene improvements were made

A duty inspector was called in to carry out a full examination, after insecticide powder was found on the kitchen floor.

In addition to more insects being found, a cockroach pest trap was also found under a sink.

The café was voluntarily closed, as cockroaches pose a salmonella health risk.

"What we found was disgusting," said Michael Michael, from Cardiff council's cabinet team.

He said the council had continued to work with the owners to ensure renovations and repairs were carried out at the takeaway, and a pest control contract was put in place.

Following further inspections in May this year, the café now has a food hygiene rating of 4 out of 5.