A TAKEAWAY owner has been banned from running a food business for six months after inspectors found food being kept in filty conditions. 

Jian Fung Lin, from New Lotus Takeaway in Brighton was also fined after he admitted several breaches of food safety.

Council officials who visited his premises six times between October 2015 and April 2016 found the floor next to the preparation counter covered in grime, open food kept next to chemicals and a bucket, and a broken window next to the back door.

They said his restaurant in Dyke Road, was found in a filthy state with food kept at the wrong temperature.

Mr Lin appeared at Brighton Magistrates’ Court, where he pleaded guilty to three charges, one of failing to keep the premises clean, one of failing to keep food at the required temperature, and one of smoking in a smoke-free area.

Magistrates fined him £1,200 on the first two matters, £130 on the smoking charge, and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £120 and £5,000 towards the council’s costs.

He was also handed a Prohibition Order under food hygiene regulations, banning him from taking part in the management of any food business until further notice.

He cannot apply for the court order to be lifted for at least six months.

In 2013, Mr Lin was fined nearly £7,500 after inspectors found signs of rat infestation at his premises.

He pleaded guilty of failing to adhere to eight food hygiene regulations after inspectors found rat droppings and gnawed food packets in the restaurant’s food store.

Inspectors who visited in October 2012 were shown the basement dry store and immediately found evidence of rat infestation with rat droppings on the tops of shelves and on cans of food and drink.

Lids used for containers for takeaway deliveries were stored in a box which also had rat droppings in.

Gnawing by rodents was also identified by inspectors on packets of rice, turmeric, creamed coconut and a 25kg tub of potato starch.

Mr Lin agreed to close the premises voluntarily while cleaning took place.