An Uxbridge restaurant has been fined more than £40,000 after a customer with a nut allergy was hospitalised due to undeclared allergens in a meal.
JR Uxbridge Ltd, trading as Javitri on Uxbridge High Street, was prosecuted by Hillingdon Council following a food safety investigation. The company pleaded guilty to five offences in breach of health and safety at work, food information, and food safety and hygiene regulations at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 22 April.
The company was fined £35,000 and required to pay a victim surcharge of £5,000 and the council’s prosecution costs of £3,816.
The investigation began in June 2024 after a customer suffered a severe allergic reaction from a meal. Council officers discovered significant failures in the management of allergens including, nuts stored incorrectly in the kitchen, incomplete menu descriptions and uncertainty regarding recipes despite staff having undertaken the Food Standards Agency’s allergen training earlier that month.
A follow-up inspection in July found little improvement, leading to an official improvement notice. A further visit was made in August where council officers were presented with an allergen menu, meant for customers, that was confusing and still contained inaccurate information which would still place anyone with allergies at risk.
Despite further warnings and deadlines, the restaurant failed to submit compliant allergen documentation, prompting further action by the council.
Cllr Eddie Lavery, Hillingdon Council’s Cabinet Member for Community and Environment said: “It’s a legal responsibility for all food businesses to provide accurate allergen information to customers and ensure what they are producing and selling is safe. This case shows that failing to do so can have severe consequences for people with allergies.
“Our food standards team works hard to protect residents from harm through routine inspections, educating businesses, serving improvement notices and if required taking legal action against businesses that neglect their responsibilities. Let this be a warning to businesses that they need to operate in line with regulations or they will be fined.”
