AN INDIAN restaurant has been fined more than £6,000 after failing to clean its filthy kitchen - despite several warnings.

Owners of Passage to India in Whitby pleaded guilty to four offences, including failing to keep the restaurant and takeaway clean, failing to keep equipment clean, not having a food safety management system, and not protecting food against contamination.

Scarborough Borough Council brought the case against the restaurant after a routine inspection of the premises found the state of the kitchen could cause a risk to human health.

The council’s environmental health officer found the state of the kitchen to be unacceptable, with filth surrounding units, appliances and the floor, Scarborough magistrates were told.

Officers found the company’s food handling practices were poor, exposing cooked foods to the risk of cross contamination from raw meat and food being left out of the refrigerator for longer than is safe to do so.

Jonathan Bramley, Scarborough Borough Council environment and regulation manager said: “I am pleased to report however that in the last few months the restaurant has made significant improvements to its food hygiene practices and this is reflected in its most recent food hygiene rating of 4 (good), which was awarded in January.

“High standards of cleanliness and a comprehensive food safety management system are essential for any food business.

“To protect the public we will always take action against those that do not comply with these requirements.”

The company was fined £6,000 and also ordered to pay £580 in costs to the council and a further £120 victim surcharge.