Pest-infested restaurant boss “lost everything”

An ex-director of a former Birmingham restaurant infested with mice and cockroaches said he “lost everything” with the business.

Zia Gondal, aged 55, pleaded guilty to two charges of breaching food safety regulations following problems discovered at Shinwari Darbar, in Stratford Road, Birmingham, in June and September last year.

Birmingham City Council environmental health officers inspected the premises following a complaint made by a member of the public and discovered live and dead cockroaches as well as mice droppings.

At a hearing on Thursday, October 22, Gondal told Birmingham Magistrates Court that he sold the business following the problems and now lives in Germany working as a taxi driver.

Peter Cruickshank, prosecuting on behalf of the council, said cockroaches and rodent droppings were found when officers inspected the premises on June 10 2025.

A hygiene emergency protection notice was served on the business, forcing it to close, and it reopened two days later when work was carried out to eliminate the risk to health.

But, on a revisit on September 30 last year, a ‘severe’ cockroach infestation was discovered with the insects found on locations including on a food counter, a stainless steel food preparation table and behind storage racking.

Several revisits showed the problem still existed in the days after and it wasn’t rectified until October 15.

Mr Cruickshank said the company which owned the restaurant, Mangatfoods Ltd, had been fined £26,217 in July last year for previous offences which had not been paid.

Gondal, who was not represented in court, said the pest problems in Shinwar Darbar started with a neighbouring property where “there was no control”.

He said: “We were trying very hard but when it was not under control, I closed. I put £130,000 in that restaurant and lost all that.

“So, I just left and handed it over. I lost everything with this restaurant. I have left the country and work as a taxi driver in Germany.”

Magistrates fined Gondal £1,200 and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £480 and prosecution costs of £933.

A case against another director of Mangatfoods, Muhammad Arshad Chaudhry, was adjourned until December 3.

By Gurdip Thandi | Local Democracy Reporting Service