BOSSES from a Dudley restaurant and a Netherton takeaway have been fined over £30,000 after inspectors discovered a string of hygiene failures.

Rose of Kashmir restaurant, in Wolverhampton Street, Dudley, was found to have breached hygiene rules when it was inspected by Dudley Council environmental health officers in August 2017.

The owners of Rose of Kashmir (UK) Ltd failed to appear at Dudley Magistrates Court on December 5 and the case was heard in their absence.

The company was found guilty of sixteen offences under food hygiene and safety regulations, with nine offences from August 2017 and seven from March 2018.

The Wolverhampton Street restaurant was fined £16,000 with £801 costs and a victim surcharge of £170.

Manager Faiz Rasul, aged 54, had pleaded guilty to the offences at an earlier hearing on October 3 and was fined £2,880 with £801 costs and a victim surcharge of £170.

Hygiene breaches included holes in the back storeroom, missing and cracked wall tiles and a dirty chest freezer and food storage bins, while raw chicken was being stored above cooked items in the fridge.

Inspectors found there were inadequate procedures to deal with pests and a documented food safety management system had not been maintained.

A further visit in March 2018 found found raw chicken being stored above cooked rice in the fridge.

In a separate case, Balti 4 U in Halesowen Road, Netherton, was found to have dirty doors, food storage shelving and wall tiles in the kitchen, along with unclean equipment, including a chopping board, microwave and hot cabinet and a broken microwave and food storage containers, when it was inspected in November 2017.

The owners of Balti 4 U Ltd failed to attend Dudley Magistrates Court on December 5 to answer seven charges under food safety and hygiene regulations.

They were found guilty in absence and fined £10,500 with £1,140 costs and a victim surcharge of £170.

Both businesses are now trading under new names and being run by new owners not connected to the case, Dudley Council has confirmed.

Councillor Cathy Bayton, cabinet member responsible for health and wellbeing, said: "Conditions found at these two premises were totally unsatisfactory, with our inspectors finding multiple breaches at both premises.

"Every day our environmental health team works diligently to protect residents from harm and we will not hesitate to prosecute owners who fail to meet their legal responsibilities and put the health of the public at risk."

She added: "I would urge consumers to check out hygiene ratings online as these will give consumers a glimpse of what is going on in the kitchen when they eat out, or behind the scenes at the places they shop."