Waltham Forest (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Waltham Forest Council slapped a £39,000 fine on a Chingford Pizza Hut after uncovering a rat infestation, prompting health‑code crackdown and public outrage.
In November 2021, the council’s environmental health platoon conducted an examination of the Chingford Mount Road pizzeria. They instantly closed the café after discovering signs of a rat infestation and feces, poor nonentity proofing, and a lack of hygiene.
A £23,500 punishment and £15,690 in fees were imposed on him, which he must pay in full within six months.
Councillor Khevyn Limbajee, Waltham Forest’s cabinet member for community safety, said this week:
“While I am pleased that by closing the store, council environmental health officers were able to remove a threat to public health and safety, it’s unfortunate that the business was unable to get on top of long-standing issues relating to cleanliness and pest control.
While the penalty in this case is significant, it is only a small measure of the seriousness of this offence and our determination to send a message to other food business operators who fail to take necessary measures to protect the public.”
A spokesperson for Pizza Hut said:
“We are aware of the recent court ruling concerning incidents at the franchise-operated Pizza Hut Delivery on Chingford Mount Road in November 2021.
The Chingford site is independently owned, and we have worked closely with the franchisee to ensure full compliance with our strict brand, food safety, and hygiene requirements.
The restaurant was closed following the inspection and reopened only after all required corrective actions were verified by environmental health officers, ensuring it meets all necessary hygiene standards.”
Since continuing, the Chingford pizzeria has maintained a “generally satisfactory” position of hygiene, earning it a grade of three out of five from the Food Standard Agency. June of this year saw the completion of its most recent examination.
According to the council, Goussous is thought to run a number of fast food franchises throughout the capital, while GH Pizzas generates £14.5 million in revenue annually.
Are there other recent pest-related enforcement cases in Waltham Forest?
Aldi’s Leyton store was fined £64,000 plus costs in late 2024 after a rodent infestation was discovered. The supermarket had frequent mouse feces and fur set up in food packaging and display areas. The store was closed temporarily for pest junking and hygiene advancements.
In December 2024, a Morrisons supermarket in Chingford was temporarily closed by Waltham Forest Council under a hygiene exigency prohibition notice due to a rat infestation, pressing strict enforcement of food safety regulations in original establishments.
The council laboriously prosecutes businesses failing to control pests, emphasizing food hygiene operation and public health safety with repeated forfeitures and closures for violations.