Poundstretcher fined over dead mice in east Belfast shop

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-27784850

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Two dead mice and fresh mice droppings were found at a Poundstretcher shop in east Belfast, food hygiene inspectors have said.

The rodents were found during a routine inspection of the shop in Connswater Shopping Centre on 14 February.

Staff from Belfast City Council brought a prosecution over the discovery at the shop which sells food and other items.

The shop owner, Poundstretcher Ltd, has been fined a total of £1,800 over three food hygiene offences.

The company was also ordered to pay court costs of £75.

'Unsatisfactory'

In a statement, Belfast City Council said inspectors from its Environmental Health Department also detected a "strong smell of urine" when they found the dead mice and droppings on St Valentine's Day.

It said the store was not pest-proof and they found "hygiene conditions throughout the premises to be unsatisfactory".

"Food stuffs were not protected from risk of contamination and procedures critical to food safety were found to be inadequate", the statement added.

The court hearing was told that "a remedial action notice was served" against the shop and the owners began "pest proofing work".

The council said that restrictions at the shop were lifted on the 11 March "after three consecutive days of no pest activity and all pest proofing work completed".

"The hygiene conditions in the premises have subsequently been improved to the council's satisfaction," the statement added.