By James Vukmirovic
The operator Sirtek (Dudley) Ltd pleaded guilty to the five offences under food hygiene legislation on the lower mall of Merry Hill in a case heard at Dudley Magistrates鈥 Court on July 2.
Failings were identified by Dudley Council鈥檚 environmental health officers during a visit to the shopping centre outlet in January 2024.
Officers discovered mouse droppings in several key areas of the premises, including the front servery and sandwich preparation area, the staff toilet, and the rear storage area where packaging and cleaning materials were kept.
Dudley Council said that due to the immediate risk to health, the council exercised its emergency powers to order the closure of the premises.
The business was only allowed to reopen after officers confirmed that all necessary cleaning and pest control measures had been completed and that there was no evidence of ongoing pest activity.
The court imposed a fine of 拢2,000, along with a victim surcharge of 拢800 and prosecution costs of 拢2,400, bringing the total financial penalty to 拢5,200.
Councillor Phil Atkins, cabinet member responsible for trading standards and environmental health, said: 鈥淥ur environmental health team is there to ensure businesses prepare and serve food in a way that meets the expected standards.
鈥淭his shocking case highlights the fact that we will not hesitate to pursue businesses who are not fulfilling their obligations, and we are pleased to see this verdict in court.鈥