Mouse infestation leads to temporary closure of tea room at Merry Hill centre gift shop
A tea room at a gift shop in Merry Hill Shopping Centre is closed until at least Friday after evidence of a mouse infestation was found in its kitchen.
Environmental health officers from Dudley Council closed the kitchen at Oopsy Daisies on Wednesday, January 4, and applied for an emergency hygiene prohibition order at Dudley Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.
The court heard how evidence of the mice was found during a routine inspection in the Brierley Hill shopping centre last week.
Officers returned to the gift shop on Monday but again found evidence of droppings in several areas around the premises.
However, during further visits on Tuesday and Wednesday officers found no evidence of mice, and if there is no sign of the rodents during another inspection on Thursday - making it three clear days in a row - then bosses can restart the food business on Friday.
Magistrates heard how a lot of work has been carried out to clean the back-of-house area with "significant improvements" made.
Oopsy Daisies, a gift shop which sells "shabby chic gifts and handmade personalised pretties", also has a vintage tea room and takeaway service which sells breakfast and lunch options as well as afternoon teas. The shop's website says it also hosts "special events such as baby showers, bridal parties, children's tea parties".
Director Matthew Robins did not contest anything said during the court and apologised for what happened.
He said he and fellow director Elizabeth Robins thought they had got the issue under control but admitted that the problem had "got away" from them in the run-up to Christmas.
"We had seen some mice in November," he said. "I was upset with myself to be honest, it's not the way I live my life.
"When they (environmental health officers) came in I was upset with the whole situation."
Mr Robins told the court used to fit domestic kitchens, and installed Oopsy Daisies' kitchen himself, but said has since realised commercial kitchens need to be kept much clearer with only essential items in them, compared to those found at home.
He said that when one cupboard of rarely used tea cups was opened, what he saw was "horrendous".
"I totally understand them asking us to close. I would have liked to voluntarily closed," Mr Robins added.
Magistrates granted the emergency hygiene prohibition order and ordered the Oopsy Daisies to pay £500 costs.
