Chinese restaurant horror as maggots ‘fall from ceiling onto diner’

China Court Restaurant, in Birmingham’s Chinese Quarter, was inspected by the city council following a complaint about the falling grubs. The authority has now been successful in its application for a hygiene emergency prohibition order at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court, which ruled there was an “imminent risk of injury to health”. 

A host of issues will have to be addressed to the council’s satisfaction before it can reopen, Birmingham Live reports.

Environmental health officer Savraj Bahia said the maggot issue could have been caused by a mouse that died and started to decay above the ceiling boards.

She said the premises were inspected at the end of May after the diner complained about what happened.

She took the court through a series of photographs demonstrating mice droppings on shelving, work surfaces and near a freezer. Ms Bahia also highlighted other “greasy” and “filthy” conditions at the premises.

Ms Bahia said removing the restaurant’s ceiling boards to “see what’s going on up there” was included on a schedule of works, which need to be completed before the venue can open again.

Outlining the risk presented by mice, Ms Bahia added: “Mice are incontinent. They are always on the move, constantly urinating and defecating. Mouse droppings were on work surfaces in the kitchen which would have been used to prepare food.

“Whether they were sanitised before I visited I don’t know. Quite clearly the cleaning was very poor, in my opinion it was non-existent. Mice are known to carry salmonella which can be a severe poisoning bacteria for humans.”

The officer confirmed the management at the premises, run by Southside Restaurant, had been properly notified but they would not be attending the court hearing because they were unable to bring in a deep cleaner until today, after the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Ms Bahia also told the court that the double bank holiday last week caused a slight delay in the case coming to court. The Chair of the Bench ruled: “The bench is satisfied the order is appropriate because there is a risk of harm.”