Dead mouse and droppings closed chip shop

Published on Saturday 10 October 2009 11:43

A DEAD mouse and droppings were found at a city chip shop forcing inspectors to close it down, a court has heard.

The rodent infestation was discovered during a routine food hygiene check at the Clifton Fish and Chicken Bar in Haymarket earlier this year.

The council described the chip shop as being in an "appalling and completely unacceptable state."

Yesterday, at Edinburgh Sheriff Court, Carlo Corolla, 41, admitted three charges of breaching food regulations on 3 February.

The court heard a dead mouse and droppings were found in the basement and a bag of packaging used to serve customers was also found to contain droppings. Ice cream wafers had been contaminated with mouse urine.

Fiscal depute Sally Clark said a boarded-up window would have allowed mice access into the building. She added that inspecting officers thought the premises posed an "imminent risk to customers health." The premises was closed down but has since reopened.

Councillor Robert Aldridge, the city's environment leader, said: "Businesses that do not adhere to strict food safety requirements can face prosecution."

Sentence was deferred on Corolla until next month for background reports.