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Chingford Pizza Hut franchisee fined more than £39,000 for rat infestation

Alhassan Goussous, the company director of GH Pizzas Ltd. – previously MSAJ Pizza Ltd. – pled guilty to one charge of failing to adequately control pests at a Stratford Magistrate’s’ Court hearing on Tuesday, 14 October 2025, resulting in a fine of £23,500, plus £15,690 in costs and charges to be paid in full within six months. 

 Waltham Forest Environmental Health Officers made a visit to the Pizza Hut Delivery franchise at 96 Chingford Mount Road after receiving a complaint from a member of the public. During the visit the officers discovered evidence of a rat infestation and droppings, inadequate pest proofing, and a lack of cleanliness.

Waltham Forest Council formally closed the business for pest activity immediately following the inspection on Monday 15 November 2021. The premises subsequently re-opened and currently has a Food Standard Agency rating of 3, with the outlet’s most recent food hygiene inspection taking place in June 2025. 

GH Pizzas Ltd. has an annual turnover of £14.5 million, with Mr Goussous understood to operate a number of fast food franchises across the capital.

Cllr Khevyn Limbajee, Waltham Forest’s Cabinet Member for Community Safety, said: “While I am pleased that by closing the store, council Environmental Health Officers were able to remove a threat to public health and safety, it’s unfortunate that the business was unable to get on top of long-standing issues relating to cleanliness and pest control.

“While the penalty in this case is significant, it is only a small measure of the seriousness of this offence and our determination to send a message to other food business operators who fail to take necessary measures to protect the public.” 

You can check the food hygiene rating of any food business quickly and easily with the Food Standards Agency’s online tool.