Old Oak Tree Pub Ltd, which operates the Old Oak Tree Pub at 2A The Common, Southall, and director Darshan Singh Grewal pleaded guilty at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 28 July.
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The case followed a long running investigation by Ealing Council, which began in 2023 after members of the public complained about conditions at the pub.
Council officers carried out several inspections of the pub and its guest accommodation, finding bedbugs in bedrooms, cockroaches in the kitchen and hazards that could cause slips, trips or falls.
Failure to comply
The council said officers provided advice, issued warning letters and served legal notices requiring improvements to be made. However, follow up visits found the problems had not been adequately addressed.
Magistrates heard the company had failed to comply with a Health and Safety Improvement Notice relating to slip, trip and fall risks.
The company and Grewal also admitted two offences under the Public Health Act for failing to remedy problems linked to cockroach and bedbug activity at the venue.
The court said the defendants had been given multiple opportunities to put matters right but had failed to do so.
Court penalties
Old Oak Tree Pub Ltd was fined £4,800, while Grewal was fined £4,000.
The court also ordered the defendants to pay a victim surcharge of £3,200 and prosecution costs of £5,000, bringing the total financial penalty to £17,000.
Grewal now has a criminal record.
Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, Ealing Council’s cabinet member for decent living incomes, said: “Businesses have a legal responsibility to provide safe and hygienic environments for their customers, visitors and staff.
“In this case, our officers found repeated failures over a long period of time, despite providing advice and several opportunities for the business to address the problems.
“We will not hesitate to take enforcement action where companies fail to meet basic legal obligations and put public health or safety at risk.”
- This story is being updated
