A TAUNTON town centre takeaway that was forced to close after a rat infestation has been taken over by a new business operator.

Doner Delight opened last week at the Zaza’s Chicken House premises on Station Road.

Zaza’s received a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice last year, which meant the premises could not be used as a food business.

A spokesperson for Somerset Council said: “The business has been taken over by a new Food Business Operator and was reopened on October 19.

“They are called Doner Delight and new signs will be put up.

“Our environmental health team visited prior to opening on 18 October.

“They found no evidence of a rodent infestation and saw recent pest control records to support that the previous infestation is under control.

“As no food was being prepared/cooked at the time, a full food hygiene visit will be carried out in due course in accordance with the Food Law Code of Practice when it will be given a new rating.

“The current Food Hygiene Rating Status of Doner Delight is ‘Awaiting Inspection.’”

At the time of Zaza’s closure last year, a Somerset Council spokesperson said: “The Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice was served under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 – Regulation 8.

“This has meant that the premises had to immediately stop being used as a food business because the health risk condition has been fulfilled due to an imminent risk of injury to human health from a rat infestation serious enough to be a significant risk of contamination to food.”