Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) is being prosecuted after environmental health inspectors reported finding cockroaches, mice and flies at one of its busiest UK restaurants.
Officials from Westminster Council said that a cockroach scurried across a counter when they visited the fast food outlet in Leicester Square, central London.
They claimed a mouse was seen running across the floor and flies buzzed around their heads at the Coventry Street premises,
Press Association reports.
Inspectors also recorded evidence of black sticky grease caking bread roll containers and trays of raw chicken.
In total, KFC faced 13 charges brought under food hygiene regulations following an inspection on August 15 last year. It has pleaded not guilty to all charges ahead of the case management hearing, which is scheduled for February 22.
A spokesman for KFC said: “As soon as we were made aware of the results of the EHO (environmental health officer) inspection... we took immediate action to bring the restaurant back up to our strict hygiene standards.
“The restaurant is being closely monitored to ensure that they are maintained.”
In a separate case, a restaurateur in central London has been fined £28,000 for a series of food hygiene breaches including countless sightings of rats, mice and cockroaches.
The owner of the Jin Korean Restaurant in Soho pleaded guilty to eight counts of health and safety breaches after inspectors from Westminster Council took him to court.
Inspectors found a cockroach crawling inside a saucepan in the restaurant kitchen as well as a decaying mouse which was found in a lift shaft.
The court was told that raw chicken was stored next to salad and defrosting fish in open buckets on the floor. Kitchen staff did not wash their hands before or after cooking and were unable to explain how to clean the premises.
Restaurant owner Myoung Kim and manager Uoong Shin both pleaded guilty were fined £28,000 and £8,000 respectively.
The restaurant has since been sold.
Fast-food chains rapped over dearth of nutritional details >>
FSA signs up six fast-food chains for healthier meals programme >> TGI Friday’s fined £30,000 over multiple hygiene breaches >> Birmingham caterer closed after 44 police officers get food poisoning >> Selfridges apologises after dead mice fall into dining area >>KFC fined £24,000 for 'filthy' restaurant >>
By Daniel Thomas
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