NANDO’S stores in Perth have been convicted and fined for filthy cooking areas, poor cleaning and hygiene, and “extremely high rodent activity”.

And for the first time, these photos — taken by health inspectors and showing dirty cooking stations and rat or mouse droppings on floors and across stainless steel benches — can be shown publicly after they were obtained through freedom of information laws.

Camera Icon Some of the equipment at the Nando’s Restaurant at the Belmont Forum. Credit: Supplied

Two Nando’s outlets, in Belmont and Northbridge, were among seven WA businesses fined for pest or hygiene failures last year, according to a Department of Health website.

A City of Perth officer who inspected Nando’s in Lake Street, Northbridge, found the store “critically non-compliant” with health standards.

“Rat activity complaint. Extremely high rodent activity present. Cleaning and adequate pest control required,” the inspector’s audit found.

Camera Icon The floor of the Nando’s store in Northbridge.

Photos show filthy floors, solidified grease and fat down the sides of cooking equipment, mould growing on floor tiles, exhaust vents covered in grease, and rodent droppings on floors and stainless steel benches.

The inspection was carried out in 2016, and in February 2017 Nando’s Australia was fined $20,000 plus $1745.50 costs for failing to maintain cleanliness standards, failing to keep equipment clean, failing to eradicate pests, and prevent them from entering the shop or being harboured on the premises.

An inspection of Nando’s at Belmont Forum Shopping Centre on Belmont Road, Cloverdale, found cleanliness was “below required standards”.

Camera Icon A picture taken by a council health inspector of hygiene failures and filthy equipment at Nando’s Restaurant at the Belmont Forum. Credit: Supplied

Photos taken by a City of Belmont health inspector show the areas around ovens, grills, fryers and sinks covered in grease and grime, and the inspector’s report said the “overall standard of cleaning, including floors, walls and fixtures, must improve”.

That inspection was also carried out in 2016 and for the food safety breaches at its Belmont Forum store Nando’s Australia was fined $20,000 plus $1745.50 costs in February 2017.

Nando’s outlets at Spearwood and Nedlands have previously been convicted of health breaches.

A Nando’s spokeswoman said the food chain was “obviously very disappointed with these convictions” and said the food safety issues were “immediately rectified”.

Camera Icon A supplied picture taken by a council health inspector of hygiene failures and filthy equipment, with some images showing rodent droppings on the floor and benches at Nando’s Restaurant in Lake Street, Northbridge. This Nando’s store breached Health Department regulations and in 2017 were fined as a result.

“In the last 16 months we have implemented and maintained a number of measures to ensure ongoing compliance. This has included the retraining of management and staff so they fully understand our food safety practices and follow the approved Nando’s cleaning and maintenance guidelines and requirements,” she said. “We have also increased this focus across our other restaurants to remove likelihood of re-occurrence.”

The spokeswoman said the Northbridge and Belmont Forum restaurants “have had a number of subsequent inspections from relevant local council authorities which have all been compliant”.

WA Food Act convictions 2017:

Belmont Market - $3000 plus $1340.35 costs for three food labelling offences.

IGA Xpress, St James - $10,000 plus $2500 costs for offences relating to used-by dates and storing potentially hazardous food under temperature control.

Maharajah Store, Willetton - $12,000 plus $1338.50 costs for cleanliness and pest-related breaches.

West Road Deli, Bassendean - $15,000 for a variety of breaches related to cleanliness, temperature control and pest prevention.

Nando’s Northbridge - $20,000 for breaches related to premises and equipment cleanliness, plus prevention and eradication of pests.

Nando’s Belmont - $20,000 for failing to maintain food premises and equipment to a standard of cleanliness.

WA Food Act convictions, 2016:

The Curry Tree, Nedlands - $12,000 for failing to notify the local council of its decision to start offering pre-packaged meals.

Nando’s Nedlands - $10,000 for temperature control, hand washing facility and cleanliness issues.

Woolworths, Kingsway - $95,000 fine for breaches, including failing to ensure that people handling food were skilled in safety and hygiene matters

Belmont Tavern - $40,000 fine for not maintaining standard of cleanliness where there was no accumulation of food waste, dirt and grease.

Little Dragon Chinese Restaurant, Warwick - $20,000 fine for offences including failing to meet hand-washing obligations and cleanliness issues.

T&T Bakery, Morley - $13,500 in fines relating to cleanliness, maintenance of food premises and handling of food.

IGA Willetton - $15,000 fine for selling food after use by date (store has changed ownership since this breach).

Maya Masala, Innaloo - $105,000 for food storage, cleanliness and maintenance breaches

Urban Turban, Cannington - $54,000 for not protecting food from contamination and handwashing breaches.

Kwinana-Leda Supa IGA - $11,000 for cleanliness non-compliance and selling food past use by date

Nando’s, Spearwood - $25,000 for inadequate temperature control, unclean premises, unclean equipment and failure to maintain premises in good state of repair

Farmer Jacks, Subiaco - $12,000 fine for non-compliant labelling of food, non-compliant date-marking on packaging and selling food after use by date

Subidoo, Subiaco - $40,000 fine for falsely prescribed food which it ought to have known might cause physical harm to a consumer relying on the description.