INSPECTORS have shut a Newport Indian restaurant after they found a rat infestation and out-of-date food.

Officers from Newport council’s environmental health team carried out an inspection at Tawa Indian Buffet on Seven Stiles Avenue on December 14 - and closed the premises with immediate effect.

The active rat infestation was considered as a "potential risk to public health".

Along with contaminated food "large quantities of meat past its use by date" was also found at the restaurant.

The food business operator will be "given time to rectify the issues found during the inspection". Once this is done they will be re-inspected by officers "to ensure they have fully complied with the requirements before being allowed to reopen" - but in the meantime the venue has been closed.

A spokesperson for Newport City Council said: “Officers from the council’s environmental health team carried out an inspection of the premises at Tawa last Thursday.

“During the inspection, officers found evidence of an active rat infestation at the premises, along with contaminated food, and large quantities of meat past its use by date. The extent of the infestation, and its potential risk to public health, was deemed notable enough for officers to close the premises with immediate effect.

“A court has granted an emergency prohibition order this morning against Seven Stiles Spice Ltd, the owner and operator of Tawa Indian Buffet. This will mean the business will stay closed until further notice.

“The food business operator will be given time to rectify the issues found during the inspection, and the council will provide guidance and support to help them do this. They will then be re-inspected by our officers to ensure they have fully complied with the requirements before being allowed to reopen.

“Food hygiene legislation is a key part of our integrated health protection system. It is in place to ensure businesses operate in a safe manner, avoid causing ill health, and avoid placing unnecessary burden on the NHS.

“The responsibility to maintain proper food hygiene standards falls squarely on the shoulders of the food business operator. The council will not hesitate to take action against any operator found to be in breach of the necessary standards and where the public health has been put at risk.”

In a Facebook post Tawa Indian Buffet said their aim was "to reopen as soon as possible".

The Facebook post said: “Unfortunately due to some unforeseen circumstances we had to close the restaurant for some time.

“We will keep you updated with a reopening date asap. Please bear with us and accept our apologies for any bookings for the coming week.

“It is our aim to reopen as soon as possible, however there’s no fix date at this time. We will be keeping you up to date on here. If you have any queries/ questions about any bookings, you made please be patient as we are trying to reply to everyone affected.

“Once again, this was not an easy decision in this current period, and the management extends their apologies to all the customers affected once again.