A Chinese takeaway in Hillingdon has been fined £14,000 after three shocking food hygiene inspections. Royal Jade Inn, in Hayes, cooked customers' orders in a kitchen coated in grease and dirt between November 2024 and August 2025.
Owner Den Tong Hau agreed to temporarily shut the Jollys Lane unit when a complaint prompted a surprise visit from Hillingdon Council. Inspectors uncovered food stored in inappropriate containers, a poor level of cleaning, and a lack of disinfection methods.
Follow-Up Inspection Reveals No Improvement
A follow-up review a month later found conditions had not improved, with staff unable to explain the labelling, shelf life and preparation dates of high-risk foods. There was also no recording of training or cleaning schedules.
During a July 2025 interview with food hygiene and safety officers, Mr Hau insisted vast improvements had been made but this was swiftly proven untrue. In August, the takeaway was still dirty throughout, with the microwave, rice cooker, steamer, door handles, taps and light switches all heavily soiled.
Flies and Grease Everywhere
The walls, extractor fans and food preparation equipment were seen dripping with grease, while flies were spotted landing on food. The latter was worsened by a damaged rear door chainmail curtain, providing no effective barrier against pests.
Washing up bowls were being used to store prepared food, raw shredded beef was being kept in a dirty curry powder bucket, and powdered ingredients were stored in the base of dirty, uncovered flip-top bins. Additionally, prepared and precooked foods were being kept beyond the recommended shelf life.
Court Proceedings and Fine
Hau again claimed significant improvements had been made but the council decided the ongoing lack of compliance and significant health risk warranted prosecution. Hau Group Limited, trading as Royal Jade Inn, admitted 20 charges in breach of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 and the Materials and Articles in Contact with Food (England) Regulations 2012 during a hearing at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court on January 6.
The company pleaded guilty to one further charge at the same court on April 21, and received a fine of £8,000. Mr Hau must also pay a £2,000 victim surcharge and £4,000 in prosecution costs.
Daniel Kennedy, Hillingdon Council’s Corporate Director of Residents Services, said: "Every business serving food has a legal responsibility to uphold basic standards of cleanliness. Our food health and safety team works hard to carry out inspections and support venues to make improvements but will not hesitate to intervene and take action when customers are at risk of serious harm."
Inspectors handed Royal Jade Inn a food hygiene rating of two during an annual visit on March 10, indicating improvement is still necessary. Mr Hau has now obtained a Level 3 Food Hygiene Certificate.
