The operator of two Biryani Boyzz restaurants in Reading has been fined £19,317.50 following a prosecution by Reading Borough Council for repeated food safety failures. Hungry Budd Ltd appeared at Reading Magistrates’ Court on 30 March 2026, where they were ordered to pay a £12,000 fine, a £2,000 victim surcharge, and £5,317.50 in prosecution costs.
Council food safety officers inspected the restaurants at 109 Oxford Road and 63 Wokingham Road between January and October 2025. During these visits, they identified consistently poor hygiene standards across both sites. Issues discovered by the inspectors included unsafe food storage temperatures, dirty and broken cooking equipment, poor waste management, and a lack of proper staff training and supervision. At the Wokingham Road branch, officers also noted that the premises had been without hot water for 20 days and found a tray containing spilt rodent bait.
Before moving to prosecution, the council provided the company with multiple opportunities, as well as guidance and support, to address the hygiene concerns. Because the business failed to maintain the necessary improvements, the local authority proceeded with formal legal action.
Matthew Golledge, Public Protection Manager at the council, stated that the case serves as a message that poor hygiene standards will not be tolerated. He emphasised that food businesses have a legal duty to keep the public safe, and while the council offers support to businesses, they will take enforcement action when operators fail to act on that advice.
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