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Hove restaurant was "like a farmyard" (From The Argus)
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Hove restaurant was "like a farmyard"
3:00pm Thursday 16th April 2009
A restaurant was so filthy health bosses said it reminded them of a farmyard.
Brighton and Hove City Council inspectors revealed how grime and cigarette ends were found on work surfaces at Riz Raz in Hove - despite two previous warnings.
The Eqyptian eaterie, in Western Road, which had cobwebs and grease hanging from the cooker hood, did not even have hot water for workers to wash their hands.
Yesterday owner Alaa Asfour, 56, was ordered to pay £5,650 in fines and costs after admitting 17 breaches of food hygiene regulations.
He was prosecuted by Brighton and Hove City Council after failing to make improvements following two previous visits to the restaurant.
Len Batten, prosecuting, said that Egyptian shisha pipes and tobacco were found in the basement storage areas.
Joanne Burchell-Collins, of the council's food safety team called in her boss after visiting Riz Raz on December 16.
She had gone there to investigate a complaint from a member of the public about cleanliness at the restaurant.
Nicholas Wilmot, one of the council's environmental health manager, said he found floors blackened with dirt and grease on walls and pipes.
The cooker was filthy and the only hot water available was simmering in a pan on top of it.
Mr Wilmot said: “I advised Mr Asfour that conditions in the cooking area were so filthy that it reminded me of a farmyard.”
Asfour, of Rothbury Road, Hove, said he opened Riz Raz as a shisha and drinks bar three years ago.
He said: “A year later the smoking ban came in and nobody could smoke inside the premises.
“My trade dropped by 80% so I had to do something else by serving food because I was struggling to survive.
“My son got cancer and I trusted a friend to run the place for me while I spent time with him.
“I know the place was filthy and I accept responsibility for that and have pleaded guilty.”
He added that water flooding from flats above had got into the restaurant's electrical wiring and had lifted floor tiles.
Asfour, who told the court he is £120,000 in debt, is now trying to sell the restaurant.
He put the lease up for sale a year ago but has been forced to drop the price to just £50,000 because of the economic crisis.
He added: “My son is my priority but I am continuing to try to make the improvements the council wants.”
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Your Say YourArgus
Tye, Brighton says...
3:28pm Thu 16 Apr 09
Scoomer wrote:Apply for a job IF you think you can do better matey
It does indeed sound grim - but in what way is it like a farmyard? Was there liquid cow sh!t mixed with straw all over the floor? A knackered old trailer with no wheels? Something large and unidentifiable covered in a tarpaulin held down with old tyres? Maybe a large group of garishly-clad ramblers insisting on their right to walk right on through? No? Bit of a lame analogy then, isn't it...
No evidence so far :)
Scoomer, Moulsecoomb says...
3:48pm Thu 16 Apr 09
Whichever it is, I'm afraid I shall have to decline on this occasion. I will, however, keep your suggestion on file in case a vacancy in my career occurs at a later date.
MrMisbehavin, brighton says...
4:26pm Thu 16 Apr 09
Scoomer wrote:I believe he/she may be suggesting you apply for a job with the argus as a reporter. But clearly as you are older than 6 you'd be obviously over qualified and with a better command of English language and Grammar than the Argus would like for their reporters.
Tye, I'm not quite sure which job you're suggesting I apply for: a food safety inspector? A restaurateur? A farmer?
Whichever it is, I'm afraid I shall have to decline on this occasion. I will, however, keep your suggestion on file in case a vacancy in my career occurs at a later date.
snerper, brighton says...
5:35pm Thu 16 Apr 09
MrMisbehavin wrote:Am you sayin' that them argus reporters is fickerer than what people finks they is!
Scoomer wrote: Tye, I'm not quite sure which job you're suggesting I apply for: a food safety inspector? A restaurateur? A farmer? Whichever it is, I'm afraid I shall have to decline on this occasion. I will, however, keep your suggestion on file in case a vacancy in my career occurs at a later date.I believe he/she may be suggesting you apply for a job with the argus as a reporter. But clearly as you are older than 6 you'd be obviously over qualified and with a better command of English language and Grammar than the Argus would like for their reporters.
Jim BB, Brighton says...
6:08pm Thu 16 Apr 09
cheezburger, brighton says...
6:20pm Thu 16 Apr 09
Tye wrote:What a complete waste of time Tye. Haven't you got anything better to do? Of course you haven't. You spend your days on here moaning. Fortunately no one takes notice of you.
Scoomer wrote: It does indeed sound grim - but in what way is it like a farmyard? Was there liquid cow sh!t mixed with straw all over the floor? A knackered old trailer with no wheels? Something large and unidentifiable covered in a tarpaulin held down with old tyres? Maybe a large group of garishly-clad ramblers insisting on their right to walk right on through? No? Bit of a lame analogy then, isn't it...Apply for a job IF you think you can do better matey No evidence so far :)
IsaJ, Portslade says...
9:14pm Thu 16 Apr 09
cheezburger wrote:Oooooh, it's handbags at dawn, girls!
Tye wrote:What a complete waste of time Tye. Haven't you got anything better to do? Of course you haven't. You spend your days on here moaning. Fortunately no one takes notice of you.Scoomer wrote: It does indeed sound grim - but in what way is it like a farmyard? Was there liquid cow sh!t mixed with straw all over the floor? A knackered old trailer with no wheels? Something large and unidentifiable covered in a tarpaulin held down with old tyres? Maybe a large group of garishly-clad ramblers insisting on their right to walk right on through? No? Bit of a lame analogy then, isn't it...Apply for a job IF you think you can do better matey No evidence so far :)
I thought the bit about the ramblers was funny, though...
TheInsider, Brighton says...
9:52pm Thu 16 Apr 09
cheezburger, brighton says...
10:39pm Thu 16 Apr 09
IsaJ wrote:Yes it was funny. But Tye seems to delight in moaning about other commentors. In fact thats all he does on here.
cheezburger wrote:Oooooh, it's handbags at dawn, girls! I thought the bit about the ramblers was funny, though...Tye wrote:What a complete waste of time Tye. Haven't you got anything better to do? Of course you haven't. You spend your days on here moaning. Fortunately no one takes notice of you.Scoomer wrote: It does indeed sound grim - but in what way is it like a farmyard? Was there liquid cow sh!t mixed with straw all over the floor? A knackered old trailer with no wheels? Something large and unidentifiable covered in a tarpaulin held down with old tyres? Maybe a large group of garishly-clad ramblers insisting on their right to walk right on through? No? Bit of a lame analogy then, isn't it...Apply for a job IF you think you can do better matey No evidence so far :)
I find it worrying that places like this are given numerous chances to clean up their act. Surely they should be given a much more serious talking to at the first occassion, rather than inviting food poisoning when they invariably dont clean up.
Jim.S, Hove says...
2:32am Fri 17 Apr 09
In time we found the owner to be very obnoxious and our visits became less frequent. After the smoking ban came in, we never returned.
simonp503, Brighton says...
6:02am Fri 17 Apr 09
Scoomer wrote:Well i think thats a funny post Scoomer and had me similing,nice one mate.
It does indeed sound grim - but in what way is it like a farmyard? Was there liquid cow sh!t mixed with straw all over the floor? A knackered old trailer with no wheels? Something large and unidentifiable covered in a tarpaulin held down with old tyres? Maybe a large group of garishly-clad ramblers insisting on their right to walk right on through? No? Bit of a lame analogy then, isn't it...
Tye, Brighton says...
7:34am Fri 17 Apr 09
cheezburger wrote:I beg to differ otherwise whi iz u torking 2 ;-)
Tye wrote:What a complete waste of time Tye. Haven't you got anything better to do? Of course you haven't. You spend your days on here moaning. Fortunately no one takes notice of you.Scoomer wrote: It does indeed sound grim - but in what way is it like a farmyard? Was there liquid cow sh!t mixed with straw all over the floor? A knackered old trailer with no wheels? Something large and unidentifiable covered in a tarpaulin held down with old tyres? Maybe a large group of garishly-clad ramblers insisting on their right to walk right on through? No? Bit of a lame analogy then, isn't it...Apply for a job IF you think you can do better matey No evidence so far :)
Don't YOU get fed up with cruelty, foolishness, cynicism and negativity posing as "comment" from silly people who really have nothing to contribute?
I guess NOT if you think I'm the only moaner
Lionsgate666, Brighton says...
1:40pm Fri 17 Apr 09
Jim.S wrote:My God Jim, you really need to speak to somebody about this..... before boredom will take and kill you. Zzzzzzz
I used to frequent riz raz with friends alot before the smoking ban, but we never ate the food. There was only ever one occaision where a friend ate the food, but this was a couple of years ago. Nothing bad came of it. In time we found the owner to be very obnoxious and our visits became less frequent. After the smoking ban came in, we never returned.
sussex2, shoreham says...
3:55pm Fri 17 Apr 09
Surely this eatery was only giving people a foretaste of the charms of Sharm El Sheik..Or, Butlins with palm trees as it is often called.
MrMisbehavin, brighton says...
4:27pm Fri 17 Apr 09
sussex2 wrote:yep.
Does anyone know anyone who has been to Egypt on holiday and has NOT had a dodgy tummy?
Surely this eatery was only giving people a foretaste of the charms of Sharm El Sheik..Or, Butlins with palm trees as it is often called.
I managed a 7 night stay in Hurghada on the Red Sea in 2005.
Ate out at different restaurants every night. No problems at all.
And it was a fab holiday too. 5* hotel, 1/2 board, flights and transfers.
and it was cheaper than a weekend stay in Brighton.
Scoomer, Moulsecoomb says...
6:49pm Fri 17 Apr 09
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Scoomer, Moulsecoomb says...
3:10pm Thu 16 Apr 09
No? Bit of a lame analogy then, isn't it...