Franchise Talk

Starbucks fined over mouse droppings

November 8th, 2006 | Author: Jack

Coffee shop chain Starbucks has been fined £12,000 after one of its branches was infested with mice.

An environment health officer was hit by a “strong smell of mice” and recurring scenes of filth and mice droppings and stainings during an inspection at a Starbucks in London’s West End in November last year.

Mouse droppings were found next to spoons, knives, cups, clingfilm and boxes of biscuits and coffee that were about to be used, London’s City of Westminster magistrates heard.

Westminster Council decided to prosecute after the state of two storerooms and a serving area at the Villiers Street branch in the arches of Charing Cross station caused concern.

Starbucks, which has more than 530 stores and 8,000 partners in the UK, pleaded guilty to four counts of food safety and hygiene breaches.

Starbucks Coffee Company (UK) Ltd admitted that its Villiers Street cafe had not been kept clean and its food handlers were not adequately supervised or instructed in food hygiene.

It also admitted having inadequate pest control procedures there and that its food had not been properly protected against the risk of contamination.

Phil Broad, managing director of Starbucks Coffee Company (UK) Ltd, listened quietly as Deputy District Judge Paul Southern fined the chain £3,000 for each offence and ordered it to pay £2,832 costs for its “lamentable failure”.

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