RIYADH: As many as 76 restaurants and snack stores have been closed down in the city and 288 workers banned for health and other violations.

Fahad Al-Hamoud, the director of Al-Batha Municipality, said civic inspectors inspected 305 restaurants and snack shops during a campaign recently.

The campaigns are primarily used to determine whether or not all of the requisite health provisions are being implemented at these establishments, in addition to following up on the health conditions of the workers, said Al-Hamoud.

He said the campaign resulted in the closure of 60 restaurants and 16 snack shops due a number of health violations, while another 253 eateries were notified about their impending reviews.

Al-Hamoud said that the team banned 288 workers who were preparing food in a manner that contravenes the health regulations.

He also explained that the municipality has taken legal action against all such violators by issuing fines and destroying all rotten food, estimated at 78 kilograms of meat of unknown origins, 52 trays of eggs, and 265 pieces of unsanitary utensils.