An Indian restaurant that suffered a cockroach infestation that posed a risk to public health has closed with its owner seeking new investors in a bid to completely revamp the dilapidated building.
Diss Tandoori, which had regained a three-star Food Standards Agency hygiene rating after taking action to address serious public health lapses, has been closed until further notice.
Owner Sahill Shahriya said the restaurant could be closed to both diners and takeaway customers for several months while he sought help to further improve the business.
He said: "We hope to have a new investor and are looking to completely revamp and refurbish the restaurant. That will hopefully happen as soon as everything goes ahead but it could take several months to complete any work.
"We are talking to a couple of people and working on plans for what will be needed for both the interior and the outside and we have staff quarters upstairs. Everything will need to be done."
MORE: 'Filthy' restaurant closed due to severe cockroach infestation
Norwich Magistrates granted South Norfolk Council a prohibition order to shut the restaurant on Shelfanger Road in November 2018 after environmental health officers discovered serious hygiene lapses including a "severe" cockroach infestation.
Environmental health officer Annmarie O'Toole told the court that a "rug" of cockroaches was discovered in the poppadom warmer with a further 50 cockroaches found in a bin that stored uncooked rice.
The restaurant eventually reopened three months later with Mr Shahriya insisting the business had learnt its lesson and instigated new health, cleaning and pest control policies.
Some improvements were made to the interior of the premises but the rundown looking outside of the building was not altered.
MORE: Cockroach infested restaurant re-opens as boss pleads 'give us another chance'
Mr Shahriya said investment would allow the restaurant to be completely modernised.
"It has been quite a long time since we have done anything and these days you need a very modern décor to appeal to customers," he said. "We are looking forward to working with a new investor and to get work on creating a new look underway.
"It will continue to be an Indian restaurant but we are working on what the name will both and other details because after we re-opened following the closure we were doing quite well but we think that to be a success we need to change."
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