A city centre Indian restaurant fined £7,024 for food hygiene offences has been repossessed by its landlord.

Jafor Malik, 25, and Mafuz Malik, 56, recently pleaded guilty to 10 offences under food safety and hygiene legislation concerning Javed Tandoori in Lower Bridge Street when they appeared at Chester Magistrates Court.

Now their Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) landlords, who also brought the food hygiene prosecution, have repossessed the premises with notices placed on the window displaying last Thursday’s date of February 25.

The repossession notice issued on behalf of the owners of the building

One document, issued by Birkenhead-based solicitors Jacobs on behalf of CWaC, addressed to Jafor Iqbal Malik, states: “Any attempt by you to henceforth enter these premises may render you liable to civil and/or criminal proceedings.”

Earlier in February, Chester magistrates heard that during an inspection of the premises in January 2015, CWaC food safety officers found there to be dirty conditions in the kitchen, poor food hygiene practices, poor personal hygiene practices, poor structural conditions and no documented food safety management system.

It was also noted that no hand soap was present for staff to wash their hands in the food preparation area. Look at our gallery to see shocking pictures of the unhygienic conditions.

As a result of the food safety offences committed each defendant, from Vincent Close, Warrington, was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1,392 along with a court surcharge of £120.

Cabinet member for environment and communities Cllr Mark Henesy said: “This food business was being operated in an unhygienic manner and the owner failed to carry out procedures to minimise the risks to food safety. The poor standards in this restaurant could have had serious consequences to customers.

“The vast majority of food establishments in Cheshire West operate to a high standard and serve their customers well. We have a duty to them and to the public to take effective action where others do not make the same effort.”