A ‘filthy’ Bradford city centre takeaway was closed immediately after inspectors found an active cockroach infestation and no hot water, a court was told.

B&U Fisheries, on Morley Street, was shut on August 1 last year but had since reopened after work was carried out.

Yesterday two men appeared at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates Court charged with 12 offences of breaching food hygiene regulations.

A day-long trial was set for Wednesday, October 9, after the magistrates ruled the case did not have to be sent to the Crown Court.

Tanweer Hussain, 31, of Nurser Lane, Little Horton, Bradford, pleaded guilty to 11 offences.

They included being a food operative who was not wearing protective clothing and allowing an employee to wear a filthy apron, having no hot water on the premises and having a dirty kitchen, including rusty bars on the window and a dirty pizza oven and a dirty and greasy floor.

Hussain also admitted that raw burgers were stored next to food that was ready to eat and the wall at the rear of the tandoori machine was dirty and in disrepair.

He pleaded guilty to having a cockroach infestation at the premises and not having sufficient ventilation.

Hussain denied one offence of failing to ensure that an external drain worked effectively, because it was blocked with potato residue.

Hussain’s co-accused Sajad Ahmed, of Beechwood Grove, Wibsey, denied all 12 of the allegations.

The court was told that Hussain was the lease holder, food retailer and account manager.

Ahmed’s case is that he was not legally responsible for the running of the takeaway.

The court was told that both men were on the premises when the inspection team from Bradford Council turned up. The defendants were assisted by Urdu interpreters and each was granted unconditional bail until the date of the trial.