A Middlesbrough food store has been forced to close after inspectors discovered rat droppings, dead cockroaches and flies among food products.
The Authentic African Food Store on Kings Road, North Ormesby, was issued with a hygiene emergency prohibition order by Teesside Magistrates Court after environmental health officers found what were described as serious hygiene risks.
Such orders are only granted where there is considered to be an “imminent risk of injury to health”.
Middlesbrough Council inspectors visited the premises on July 9 following complaints about smells and rotten fruit and vegetables.
During a court hearing, prosecutor Thomas Durance said officers were immediately concerned by conditions inside the shop. He told the court: “When they attended on July 9 they were met with smells, and they were met by the manager of the shop. It was pretty obvious just from the naked eye that there were issues within the shop.”
Inspectors reported finding dead flies around an electric fly killer and food preparation areas, as well as rat droppings on floors, plastic packaging, bread crates, sacks of dried ingredients and shelves storing fruit and vegetables.
The inspection also uncovered dead cockroaches, cockroach faeces and live cockroaches crawling on bread crates in the butchery section.
Mr Durance described the findings as “nothing short of a disgrace. People are buying their fruit and veg and other products here. You’ve seen and heard that there’s rat droppings amongst the retail products. It’s just unacceptable.”
A notice placed on the shop’s shutters stated there was widespread evidence of rat activity, including droppings, urine and gnawed packaging, alongside evidence of cockroach infestation and mouldy fruit and vegetables.
The court approved the council’s application for the emergency closure order and awarded £1,200 in costs to Middlesbrough Council.
Peter Charlton, chairing the magistrates’ bench, said the court was satisfied that the order should be granted.
The shop’s retail manager, Seyanu Olaoye, said efforts were already under way to address the issues raised by inspectors. Speaking after the hearing, he said: “I’ve been taking a lot of measures. Pest control have been involved and the level of cleaning has increased.
“All issues of concern have actually been sorted. We’re just waiting on pest control to come in and do a thorough check, and we’ll be able to proceed for another inspection.”
He added that extensive cleaning had been carried out since the inspection and was continuing on a regular basis.
The shop will remain closed until authorities are satisfied that the health risks have been removed.
