JEDDAH — The Municipality of Jeddah shut down 150 restaurants in the past two months over health and safety concerns, Makkah reported.
The local authority recently launched a campaign where it would name and shame restaurants that committed serious violations after already receiving two or three warnings.
Municipality spokesman Mohammed Al-Bugmi explained this measure aims to act as a deterrent to other restaurants and encourage them to ensure safety measures are taken seriously.
Violations included use of expired food ingredients, lack of health permits for employees, insects and pests in the kitchen, invalid licenses, food ingredients from unknown sources and other non-hygienic items.
The latest closure happened last Thursday at an eatery in the Faisaliyah District where the inspection team found bugs and rat feces in the kitchen. The inspection team has been strict in issuing violations and in many cases closed down premises to guarantee hygienic and safe conditions for visitors.
The restaurants are usually closed temporarily until the owners carry out the appropriate work to ensure the premises adhere to health and safety regulations.
