Papa John’s Masshouse Plaza branch in Birmingham fined for mouse infestation

The operator of a Papa John’s in Birmingham has been fined after it was closed for three days due to a mouse infestation. A customer reported the hand at Masshouse Plaza in the city center to Birmingham City Council after seeing a mouse running around the kitchen in April last year.

The authority carried out an inspection and found excrement throughout the building. The manager was given a schedule of work that had been completed and allowed to reopen.

Operators Birmingham Central Ventures admitted three offenses of breaching a provision of the Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations. The company was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £2,037 in costs and an £800 surcharge at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court yesterday, Thursday 27 June.

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Prosecutor Jayne Skeates said: “On April 12 (last year), Birmingham City Council’s environmental health department received a complaint from a member of the public reporting a mouse running around the Papa John’s kitchen in Masshouse Plaza, Masshouse Lane.

“Environmental health officer Karen Boyal visited the property on April 14 with a vet. When they arrived, the front door was open and the lights were on. They introduced themselves to the manager and explained that the purpose of the visit was to investigate a complaint involving the sighting of a mouse and they were conducting a routine food hygiene inspection.

“Evidence of mouse activity was found throughout the building. It was dirty and the food was at risk of contamination.”

Ms Skeates presented a bundle of photographs showing droppings in various places, including on a tray of pizza dough, while a shelf was stained with mouse urine. A Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Order (HEPO) notice has been issued, halting delivery.

Ms Skeates confirmed that a program of necessary works had been completed by April 17 last year and Papa John’s was allowed to reopen. It was subsequently given a maximum hygiene rating of five – “Very Good”.

Neil Davis, defending, said: “In April last year works were being carried out on a neighboring property and as a result you heard evidence of gaps between the properties. the bins that caused this mouse infestation. It was a temporary infestation.”

Mr Davis further argued that the bins at the rear of the property were the responsibility of the building manager and not the takeaways. He added that the company’s staff had been retrained and now a third-party company, along with a regional operations manager, regularly inspected the premises.

Amit Abhol, 45, and sole director of Birmingham Central Ventures, told the court he had traveled from Belfast to attend the hearing. Addressing him directly, the bench said: “You have taken steps to try to deal with, for example, the independent assessment is very good. You cooperated with people and demonstrated that you accepted responsibility and made things right. your credit.”