Food Safety

The owner of a rat-infested café at a Huntingdon equestrian centre has been fined £10,500 for conditions that one pest controller described as the worst he had seen in 20 years.

When an Environmental Health Officer (EHO) with Huntingdonshire District Council, investigated a complaint about rodents at the café last October, she found a serious infestation in the kitchen and food store.

She discovered thousands of rat droppings and found that rats had gnawed through walls. There were mouse droppings in the oven and two dead mice were found behind a refrigerator. A rat’s nest was found in a refrigerator motor.

The owner agreed to close the premises in order to treat the rodent infestation, upgrade the facilities and carry out thorough cleaning and disinfection.

He pleaded guilty to seven food hygiene offences at Huntingdon magistrates court last month, when dead mice and rat droppings were presented to magistrates as evidence.

The court acknowledged that he had closed and cleaned the premises promptly. In addition to the fine, costs of £3,262 were awarded to the council.

Huntingdonshire Council’s pest control supervisor; said the infestation and damage were the worst that he had seen in 20 years.

The executive councillor for housing and public health, said that more should have been done months before the EHO’s visit.

He commented: ‘Magistrates took this case extremely seriously and this is reflected in the level of fines.’