The Arcadian in Birmingham has ‘a lot’ of mice according to a bakery which was fined for a six-month infestation. Inspectors discovered droppings at Hey Sugar on three separate occasions, firstly in July 2023 and then twice in January last year.
The operators Arcadian Bakery were given schedules of works and written requests to explain the problems raised by Birmingham City Council which were ignored. They were subsequently found guilty of nine offences of breaching Food Safety and Hygiene Regulations in their absence last year.
On Monday, January 6, at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court Arcadian Bakery was fined £8,000 as well as ordered to pay £2,182.75 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge. Prosecutor Jaspreet Randhawa told the court that environmental health officers carried out a ‘routine inspection’ at Hey Sugar on Cathay Street on July 4, 2023.
READ MORE: Tears, fights and blazing rows in one most dramatic years for city’s courts
Due to the ‘presence of mice’ the business was handed a schedule of works and ordered to close by a hygiene emergency prohibition order (HEPO) on July 6 that year. However it was allowed to re-open the next day.
Ms Randhawa stated that the ‘manufacturing arm’ was moved out of the premises to another location, meaning there was ‘little food activity’ taking place at the address. The bakery was handed an emergency schedule of works and told they would be visited again within a few days.
In October that year the council wrote to the company asking whether they wished to make any representations about the mice issues but the request was ignored. Mouse droppings were subsequently found again by inspectors on January 15 last year, then again on January 18.
Arcadian Bakery was contacted later that month but they similarly ignored the opportunity to explain the issues. The business was convicted in their absence in November. The court also heard they had been previously fined £3,000 in 2021 due to mice problems.
Hey Sugar based at The Arcadian
Ms Randhawa said: “The company fell far below the recognised standards. They ignored the concerns raised by council officers. They allowed the breaches to subsist for a prolonged period of time.”
Amanda Xin, representing Arcadian Bakery, told the court she took on a ‘financial management’ role in August 2023. She said: “We ordered pest control services monthly. We did things to improve but this is out of our control.”
Ms Xin added: “I am very sorry but there are a lot of mice in that area. We tried our best and did everything but it still happened.”
District Judge David Murray said: “The courts always take seriously matters involving hazards to health. Mouse droppings in food areas are always taken seriously.”
Arcadian Bakery was given 12 months to pay the total bill of £12,182.75.