Thame takeaway fined after mice droppings found at their premises

Mouse droppings were found at the Tommy Yaki takeaway in Thame by inspectors

Novarra Limited, owners of Tommy Yaki in Wellington Street, Thame, pleaded guilty to four food safety offences and were fined £2,400 and ordered to pay £1,876 in costs.

Magistrates heard how during a routine food safety inspection at Tommy Yaki on 21 March 2016, food safety officers from South Oxfordshire District Council found the premises littered with mice droppings and a filthy kitchen.

The building also had construction defects that allowed pests to get on the premises, and important cleaning and pest control procedures had not been carried out.

Officers immediately forced the premises to close, the takeaway was given a food hygiene rating of zero meaning “Urgent Improvement Necessary”, and it was prevented from reopening until action had been taken to remove the risk.

Cllr Tony Harbour, cabinet member for waste, grounds maintenance, food safety and environmental health at South Oxfordshire District Council said: “At the time of the inspection the premises posed a serious health risk to customers and was shut down as a result.

“I hope other food businesses learn from this example, if you are putting the public at risk we will not hesitate to take action.”

Council officers revisited the premises a number of times since the enforced closure to ensure that improvements were made, and to assist Novarra Ltd with meeting their food safety requirements.

Following urgent improvements, the takeaway reopened a week after the closure.

It was recently inspected and has now been awarded a rating of four.