Southsea's Istanbul Restaurant closed in 'hygiene emergency' order after inspectors find rat burrows, fish in a sink and 'filthy' conditions

Poor conditions were spotted at the Istanbul Restaurant in Osborne Road, Southsea after a resident complained to Portsmouth City Council about the state of the rear yard.

Environmental health officers discovered eight raw fish were dumped on top of dirty meat skewers in an unclean equipment sink next to a kettle filled with ‘filthy water’.

They also found the burrows in the yard, and rodent droppings, along with dirt, grease and food debris piled up where food was being stored.

A dirty cloth with bits of raw chicken skin was seen on the side next to raw meat – with fears it could be easily spread.

‘Large quantities’ of bagged red meat and chicken were left on the side on dirty and scored chopping boards.

In the yard inspectors found the burrows, food waste, the paving and drainage gully adjacent to the back door ‘in a filthy condition’ and the yard was generally ‘untidy’.

Internal surfaces in the kitchen were greasy, and food containers were dirty.

Food safety paperwork was ‘disorganised’ and a daily diary and temperature log sheet were not kept up to date.

Christopher Larkin, from the council, found the premises ‘presented an imminent health risk to members of the public who consumed food there’.

It was visited on May 12 after a nearby resident complained about the poor condition of the yard. A full inspection was carried out the next day by the council.

The authority took action by seeking a hygiene emergency prohibition order from city magistrates on Tuesday.

The order was yesterday served on Donald Istanbul Ltd, the owner who is registered in Elm Grove, Southsea,.

The company, run by Dake Giergjvataj, must pay £768.74 in costs to the council.

A handwritten note in the venue’s window, displayed above the order, said: ‘We have to fix maintenance, garden, kitchen.’

Five conditions placed on the restaurant must be met before environmental health officers can issue a certificate allowing reopening.

The Turkish restaurant has to rat and mouse-proof the kitchen, and bring in a contractor to clear out rodents.

It must clean the food preparation, storage areas and catering equipment, and removing all rubbish, waste material, old appliances and a build up of junk in the rear yard.

The third condition is reviewing waste management arrangements so rubbish and solid waste oil is collected by a licenced carrier.

Rat and mice treatments must be carried out by a contractor, and access to the charcoal shed, kitchen and food store must be stopped.

Staff handling food must be trained and the food business operator, Ms Giergjvataj, must complete food safety training and update records.

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Flouting the order could land the owner with a fine or an up to two-year jail sentence.

An inspection in August last year landed the restaurant with a food hygiene rating of one.

The report said ‘major improvement’ was needed for food safety, and improvement for cleanliness and hygienic food handling.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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