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A husband and wife operating an Indian and Pakistani takeaway business have been ordered to pay £24,122 after a Hillingdon Council investigation discovered dirty premises, dangerous food handling and serious failings in its control of allergens all posing a significant health risk to customers.

 Mohammad Siddiqui, 65 and Ayesha Siddiqui, 52, of Manse Close, Harlington, directors of Ladla Babu Ltd, trading as Holy Zam Zam 4, 226 High Street Harlington, Hayes (which has since closed), pleaded guilty to eight offences in breach of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013, and the Food Safety Act 1990, at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 17 February. 

 Mohammad was fined £1,404 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £562 and £3,358 towards the council’s prosecution costs. Ayesha was fined £1,487 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £595 and £3,358 towards the council’s prosecution costs.   

 Their company, Ladla Babu Ltd, of which they are both directors, was fined £8,000, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000 and £3,358 towards the council’s prosecution costs. 

 In 2024, Holy Zam Zam 4 was identified by the council’s food hygiene and safety officers as a non-broadly compliant Category B business, which indicates a business has ongoing food hygiene problems and is repeatedly failing to meet required food safety standards. 

 The business was placed on a schedule of routine yearly inspections until it was able to demonstrate improved compliance. 

During one of these visits on 20 January 2025, the council's food hygiene and safety officers found the kitchen, storage areas and equipment were covered in food and grime, while food storage and preparation indicated regular cross-contamination of food. 

They also found unlabelled food in plastic bags in a chest freezer from unverified suppliers and structural damage to the walk-in fridge, preventing it from opening from the inside and risking entrapment.

Officers also identified serious staff training and supervision failings. Food handlers were unable to demonstrate safe cooking practices, and they were also providing incorrect allergen information to customers.

Based on the findings and premise history, officers served the owners with three improvement notices on 24 January. The notices required the business to implement improvements, including enhanced cleanliness and prevention of food hazards, the training of all food handlers, and a review of each dish to ensure accurate information on food allergens was provided to customers by 24 April. 

During an unannounced follow-up visit on 28 April, officers found Mohammad and Ayesha had failed to make the required improvements with poor food hygiene, temperature control failures and inadequate allergen management still in place. The business subsequently closed and has not reopened. 

In mitigation, the defence outlined Mohammad and Ayesha have shown genuine remorse, accepted responsibility during the investigation process and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

On sentencing, the presiding magistrate said, “we have three matters to consider, and they are serious matters, whilst nobody was injured or harmed it could have been far worse. The regulations are there for a purpose and must be complied with to ensure that the public are not put at risk.” 

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