Pest infestations discovered in takeaway

A routine environmental health inspection of a Birmingham takeaway unearthed a mouse and cockroach infestation, a court heard.

Arden Crave Corner, in Arden Road, was ordered to close following the discovery of food safety issues during a visit from Birmingham City environmental health officers on Tuesday, November 10.

During the inspection, officers moved a fridge out from its place and found an accumulation of mouse droppings and a dead cockroach underneath.

As they inspected the rest of the premises, more mouse droppings were spotted on shelves in storage cabinets and cupboards, on top of food packaging boxes, containers and plates.

A rolling pin was also discovered surrounded by droppings while further droppings were found next to a tandoori oven, on the kitchen floor and where bottles and canned drinks were being stored.

A cushion in the premises was covered in mouse droppings and smelled of rodent urine.

Gnawed boxes and packaging and evidence of material being used for nesting purposes was also discovered in the premises.

Officers were satisfied there was an imminent risk to public health and served a hygiene emergency prohibition notice on the premises, forcing it to close until a schedule of works to rectify the issues was completed.

Birmingham City Council environmental health officer Thomas Smith said he had contacted the food business operator Arden Crave Corner Ltd to check on progress of the necessary work but had yet to hear back from them.

He told a Birmingham Magistrates Court hearing on Thursday, November 12, he was due to revisit the premises later that day.

Mr Smith said: “Like mice, cockroaches can spread diseases. They can urinate and defecate and contaminate food surfaces and packages. They can make people very ill, especially the vulnerable.”

Birmingham Magistrates were satisfied there was a risk of public health and granted a hygiene emergency prohibition order.

By Gurdip Thandi | Local Democracy Reporting Service