
A Ghanaian takeaway in Croydon was forced to shut down in May after food hygiene inspectors uncovered a “significant infestation” of cockroaches and ‘strong smell of urine’ in the restaurant.
Asafo Takeaway in Thornton Heath was visited several times by food hygiene inspectors before it reopened to the public on June 3rd.
Inspectors visited the takeaway on Whitehorse Road on May 13, following concerns that it was practising unsafe food prep and hygiene onsite. Evidence of a ‘significant cockroach infestation’ was found across the takeaway, from the food preparation and cooking zones to the serving counters and front of house.
Inspectors highlighted high-level areas around electrical casings as being particularly badly affected by the infestation. Furthermore, they found evidence of a growing rat problem, with inspectors noting large amounts of droppings in the rear kitchen and under shelving units.
They also noted a strong smell of urine coming from a cupboard beneath a television. This was found near where customers would order food.
The inspection also revealed that the premises did not have hot water available, posing serious risks to hygiene and food safety. As a result, all food prepared on site was declared unsafe and had to be discarded immediately.
Following the damning inspection, Croydon Council immediately closed the restaurant so that it could address the issues raised. The council emphasised that no further food preparation should take place until the business had fully addressed all issues and received written approval to reopen.
The premises were ordered to be completely cleaned and disinfected, along with pest control measures and the restoration of both hot and cold water supplies.
A representative from Asafo told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that pest control visited the premises “more than four times” following the emergency closure, in an effort to stem the infestations. They told the LDRS that they had also conducted deep cleans across the site and had addressed the issues.
The representative told the LDRS: “Pest control came for some time to treat it, but everything is done now.”
Asafo reopened to the public on June 3 but will now be under close watch from the local authority. This will include more frequent inspections and the potential for permanent closure if hygiene on site is not improved further.
In their official report, inspectors concluded that ‘major improvement’ was needed in all three of their key assessment areas: hygienic food handling, cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building, and management of food safety. This resulted in the business receiving a hygiene rating of 0 out of 5, the lowest possible score.
Only six other restaurants across the entire borough of Croydon currently hold the same bottom-tier rating. These are Colombo Express, Everyday Bazaar, Jolens Food and Wine, One Beyond, South Croydon Sports Club and South End Supermarket.