Several food businesses across Birmingham faced enforcement actions in September after inspections revealed serious hygiene issues, including infestations of rats, mice and cockroaches, as well as poor food safety practices.
Birmingham Magistrates Court held numerous hearings throughout the month as part of dedicated sessions known as the ‘Corporation Court’, where breaches of Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations were prosecuted.
Among the businesses fined was Tu Quynh Supermarket Bamboo on Wrottesley Street. An inspection in July 2025 uncovered mice and cockroach infestations, alongside failures in food management, labelling, traceability and staff training. Director Quan Quoc Le admitted to four charges and expressed remorse in court. The company was fined £30,000 with a surcharge of £12,000 and costs exceeding £3,000, while Mr Le received a personal fine and surcharge.
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Three food vendors at the Arcadian Food Court were ordered to close temporarily after an inspection on September 7 found rat and cockroach infestations. Emergency prohibition orders were issued to A Zhen Kitchen, Korean Soup and Rice, and Orient Canteen. They must resolve the issues before reopening.
The Istanbul Restaurant on Stockwell Road in Handsworth was also shut down after mouse droppings were found throughout the premises during a routine inspection on September 8. A hygiene emergency prohibition order was imposed to prevent reopening until corrective work is completed.
Altibian Supermarket on Stratford Road, inspected in July last year, was fined £12,000 after the court heard of mice, rats and cockroach presence, including mouse droppings near food packages and gnawed rice packs. No representatives attended the hearing, but the business claimed to have since resolved the problems successfully.
At the Al Uruba Restaurant on Stratford Road, directors Mohamed Alawi Sherif and Sihaam Sherif pleaded guilty to four charges following a June 2025 inspection which found evidence of mouse activity, including a dead mouse in the kitchen. The couple expressed being “embarrassed, ashamed and very sorry”. Both were fined, and the business has gone into voluntary liquidation.
Newtown Grocery on Great Hampton Row was fined after owner Abdul Qadoos Panjakhail admitted to multiple failures, such as inadequate staff training and maintenance issues impacting food safety. A crack in a butchery display counter was found to hinder proper cleaning, posing contamination risks.
Sonali Supermarket Ltd on Lozells Road cited external factors including bin strikes, building demolition nearby, and drainage problems as causes of a rat infestation. Director Mohammed Shafique Uddin received fines following guilty pleas to six charges.
Finally, Dil Se Indian restaurant in the Mailbox was temporarily closed after an unannounced inspection on September 7 revealed mouse droppings in the kitchen. The establishment has since addressed the issues and reopened.
These enforcement actions highlight ongoing challenges in maintaining hygiene standards in some of Birmingham’s food businesses and the consequences of failing to comply with regulations.