The outbreak saw 29 people suffer serious food poisoning symptoms after eating at Palm by H20 in Coventry - the business has been ordered to pay a fine
15:08, 15 Dec 2025
Several people were hospitalised with severe symptoms as nearly 30 diners got food poisoning after eating at a restaurant with “a total lack of food hygiene”.
The outbreak saw 29 people report getting serious food poisoning symptoms after eating at Palm by H20 in Coventry. Diners became 'very ill' after eating at the establishment on Spon Street in June 2024.
Coventry City Council launched a major investigation with the UK Health Security Agency. Tests showed that 17 of 18 collected stool samples contained the same strain of Salmonella, previously unreported in the UK
“Sadly, the food poisoning outbreak has had a profound and long-lasting effect upon many of the individuals who contracted the Salmonella strain and many of them are still suffering now with physical and mental repercussions of their diagnoses,” Coventry City Council said in a statement.
“The people became very ill after eating at Palm by H2O. Given the absence of measures in place to prevent cross-contamination in the kitchen, and the total lack of food hygiene understanding demonstrated by those working at the restaurant, especially concerning the storage and handling of raw meat, this is unfortunately unsurprising.”
Health inspectors found multiple examples of poor hygiene practices when they visited the eatery, including inadequate hand washing and insufficient training, Coventry Live reports. Staff also lacked awareness of the risks associated with storing and handling raw meat, allowing food to become contaminated, the council said.
Owner Mohammed Naveed agreed to voluntarily close Palm by H20 until food safety standards were improved. Inspectors downgraded its hygiene rating from the top score of 5 to just 1.
Owner Mohammed Naveed was fined £6,500 and also ordered to pay £10,186 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge when he appeared for sentencing at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on December 9. He previously pleaded guilty to multiple food safety offences in September.
Meanwhile the business, Palm by H2O Limited, 10 Spon Street, was fined a total of £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £10,186.55 plus a £2,000 victim surcharge.
Mr Naveed applied for a rescoring, and with the improved conditions maintained, Palm by H20 was awarded a five-star rating in August 2024. Officers returned on January 14 this year and confirmed that high standards had been upheld, retaining the top rating.
Davina Blackburn, Strategic Lead for Regulation and Communities, said: “We take a staged approach to enforcement, and prosecution is a matter of last resort. Wherever possible, officers will always try to work with businesses, offering advice and guidance, but will take the necessary actions if they feel there is a risk to health.
“It is vital that people running food businesses in Coventry are running clean and safe establishments all of the time to ensure the safety of the food they sell to customers.”