Hotel Du Vin fined £120,000 due to mice infestation

The Hotel Du Vin in Birmingham has been fined £120,000 after mice droppings were found in the kitchen.

The Birmingham Mail reported that environmental officers were alerted by a guest who had spotted a mouse in the restaurant.

Lee Bennett, prosecutor for the case, said that environmental health officers visited the restaurant on September 28, 2016 and found evidence of mice droppings in the kitchen and bar areas.

The hotel group told the court that there was to “a failure to keep the premises in good repair including a flyscreen which was partially damaged, ceiling tiles which were damaged and others displaced and gaps between walls”.

Bennett also said equipment in the kitchen, bar floor and shelving was “very unclean”, adding that there was an “imminent risk to the health of the public on September 28 and immediate action had to be taken”.

Hotel Du Vin issued a statement after the court hearing which said: “The [hotel group] acknowledges the court’s findings. The safety of our guests and staff is our number one priority and we take any breach of health and safety standards extremely seriously.

“We immediately rectified the issue that caused the temporary breach in September 2016 and all staff at this hotel have undergone rigorous retraining.

“We would like to reassure visitors to our hotel in Birmingham of our total commitment to maintaining best in class standards.”