Southall Sweet Shop Fined Over £10,000 for Rodent Infestation

Poonam Sweet Centre, located on Western Road in Southall Green, has been fined over £10,000 following the discovery of a rodent infestation. Ealing Council food safety officers found mice droppings throughout the production area, on trolleys used for food storage, and on shelves adjacent to products and packaging. Rat droppings were also present on the floor.

The premises were also noted to be unclean, with accumulations of filth, grease, and food debris found on floors, shelves, equipment, pipes, and the kitchen extraction system. The immediate risk to public health led inspectors to order the business to close until the issues were rectified.

Court Proceedings and Penalties

Owners Manoj Sharma and Harinder Purewal appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on October 20. Both pleaded guilty to two food hygiene offences each, admitting to inadequate pest control measures and a failure to maintain the cleanliness of the premises. Sharma was fined £3,333, ordered to pay £2,131 in costs, and a £1,333 victim surcharge, totalling £6,797. Purewal received a fine of £1,538, with £2,131 in costs and a £615 victim surcharge, amounting to £4,284.

History of Infestations and Ratings

The court heard that Poonam Sweet Centre has a documented history of poor food hygiene. The business previously closed voluntarily in 2010 due to a mouse infestation. In 2015, it was ordered to close following an infestation involving both mice and cockroaches. A further mouse infestation was identified in October 2024, approximately seven months before the inspection that led to this prosecution.

The sweet shop has received multiple food hygiene ratings of zero out of five since 2009. In May 2025, it was again given a zero rating, indicating that urgent improvement was necessary. The business was permitted to reopen later that month after implementing necessary changes. A subsequent inspection in December 2025 noted improvements, though some pest activity persisted. By August of the following year, the establishment had achieved a food hygiene rating of three.

Council Response

Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, Ealing Council's cabinet member for decent living incomes, stated that food businesses have a legal obligation to ensure customer safety. She described the presence of mouse and rat droppings in food preparation and storage areas as unacceptable. Councillor Nagpal confirmed that Ealing Council's food safety officers acted to protect the public by closing the business until it was safe to reopen and indicated that the council would continue to take firm action against businesses failing to meet basic food hygiene standards.