Rat infestation lands Brighton restaurant with £4k court bill

Food safety inspectors found rat droppings and dead mice in a restaurant in Brighton.

The infestation landed the restaurant – Maison du Vin in East Street – with a court bill of more than £4,000 yesterday (Thursday 2 January).

Maison du Vin’s owner, Larius Limited, and manager Louis Blanc, 53, of Ship Street, Brighton, voluntarily closed the restaurant after the find in October.

The East Street premises were visited by food safety officials from Brighton and Hove City Council after a complaint was made.

Larius, based in Prince Albert Street, Brighton, admitted five breaches of food hygiene regulations at Brighton Magistrates’ Court.

Councillor Pete West

The court was told that the food safety officials found two dead mice on traps in the basement and mice and rat droppings in the food preparation, storage and handling areas.

Droppings were found on napkins in the restaurant store and extensive smear marks were on the lower skirting boards where rodents had been.

Mice and rats were able to gain easy access to all parts of the premises from the basement to the customer dining area because the property was poorly maintained, the council said.

It added: “The rodents virtually had their own private corridor as they used damaged waste pipes to travel around the building and drink from them.

“They were also getting in from holes in the walls that they had gnawed through and gaps under doors.”

Owner Larius admitted two charges of food hygiene breaches. It was fined £1,500 for each offence and ordered to pay £1,496 costs and a £120 victim surcharge.

Councillor Pete West, chairman of the council’s environment committee, said: “This is quite shocking.

“When you go out for a meal you expect establishments to be scrupulous about hygiene as a matter of course.

“Sadly that is not always the case and that’s why the council’s food safety service is there to protect customers and prosecute when necessary.

“Fortunately most establishments are rated good or very good and the council supports food outlets by providing food hygiene ratings which gives people the opportunity to look up how a place is rated before booking or visiting.”