Restaurant owner banned from running a food business for life

A south London restaurant owner has been banned from ever running a food business again after council inspectors discovered serious food hygiene breaches at her Southwark restaurant.

Last month, Grace (Mercy) Omolekulo, proprietor of Impression Restaurant, was found guilty by Camberwell Green Magistrates Court for food safety violations after inspectors found cockroach and mouse infestations, dirty equipment and poor hygiene conditions at the site.

According to a report on social housing and public sector website 24dash.com, she was sentenced to 40 hours of unpaid work in the community, ordered to pay costs of £500 and banned from ever running a restaurant again.

Omolekulo had previously been found guilty of 10 offences under the Food Safety Act in April this year.

Councillor Jeff Hook, Southwark Council's executive member for community safety, said: "This restaurant owner has consistently failed to meet food hygiene standards despite assistance from the council's food team to fix the problems.

"While we prefer to work with owners to improve standards, we won't hesitate to use our full powers to shut down premises that place the public at risk."

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By Kerstin Kühn