Takeaway owner blames trams for dead mouse find

Published on Wednesday 11 November 2009 08:29

A CHIP shop owner fined £1,200 after health inspectors found a dead mouse in his city takeaway has blamed the Capital's tram works.

Carlo Corolla, 41, claims the digs have disturbed so many colonies of vermin across the city that his Clifton Fish and Chicken Bar is among scores of businesses hit by the unwelcome visitors.

He said: "It's the tram works, it forces all the rodents up to the shops here."

Health inspectors who carried out a spot check on his premises on Clifton Terrace said they found not just dead vermin, but droppings and contaminated food.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court was told yesterday that during the 3 February inspection, they also ventured into the basement where they found a major mouse infestation.

A large dead mouse was found, bags that stored food contained mouse droppings and wafer cones were found covered in urine.

Owner Corolla rushed to the shop after hearing about the inspection. The fryer was immediately closed by inspectors due to the risk to health. It was shut down for five-and-a-half hours during the inspection.

Corolla, of Main Street, West Calder, had previously pleaded guilty to failing to ensure he kept his premises clean, and failing to ensure materials used for wrapping food were not contaminated and that wafer cones were contaminated with mice droppings and urine.

According to the inspecting officers, a grille in a boarded-up window has allowed mice into the premises.

James Grant, Corolla's solicitor, said the incident was a "one-off" and said his client believed the cause of the infestation was the ongoing tram works.

He said his client had no idea about the problem and if he had, would have acted swiftly.

Corolla said: "The work has disturbed their nests and everything. All of the shop owners here complain about the tram works.

"I have not noticed any loss of business yet, hopefully it will stay that way. Everything has cleared now, there is no trace of that."

Councillor Robert Aldridge, the city's environment leader, said: "Residents and visitors are entitled to expect the highest standards of food hygiene when they go out to eat in the city.

"Thanks to the vigilance and hard work shown by our community safety staff in bringing this case to court, we can send out a clear message to all food business operators that they must adhere to food hygiene requirements or face the consequences."