£180k fine for pub with mouse droppings found in kitchen

By Emily Hawkins

- Last updated on GMT

Hefty fine: a judge ordered pubco Marston's to pay £180,000 for poor hygiene (image: Ewan Munro, Wikimedia Commons)
Hefty fine: a judge ordered pubco Marston's to pay £180,000 for poor hygiene (image: Ewan Munro, Wikimedia Commons)

Related tags Hygiene

A south London pub has been fined £180,000 after inspectors found mouse droppings in its kitchen and dirty utilities.

The Porter & Sorter pub, in Croydon, south London, was prosecuted for multiple hygiene failings at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 7 May.

District Judge Susan Green deemed that the offences posed a risk of harm to the pub’s customers.

Pubco Marston’s admitted to the failings, which were discovered when council inspectors visited on 12 February 2018.

Mouse droppings were found in the kitchen, including in a roasting tin, among utensils, on a serving plate, on tea towels and next to a sink used for washing up. 

Low standards put the public at risk, a judge said
Low standards put the public at risk, a judge said

Unhygienic kitchen

All fridges, walk-in chillers and a freezer were in a dirty and unhygienic condition.

Grease build-up was found on a ventilation fan and on pipes.

Missing and broken wall tiles and broken glass behind a fridge in the main bar area were also deemed as risky to customers.

After the inspection, the pub’s kitchen was immediately closed at the council’s request. It was reopened on 16 February 2018 after operators were advised on how to correct the issues found.

Marston’s was ordered to pay a fine of £180,000 plus £5,854.88 costs.

Shocking case

Councillor Hamida Ali, cabinet member for safer Croydon and communities, spoke of her shock at the case.

She said: “Anywhere that serves food needs to have good hygiene, and this pub’s customers could have faced a real health risk if council inspectors hadn’t visited.

“This case is shocking because it involves a popular local pub whose owners are major players in the industry and should have known better. The council will continue to protect residents by taking action against businesses that fail to meet the law on food hygiene.”

Related topics News Health & safety Marston's

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