A leading high street discount chain has been slapped with an £154,000 fine after rodent droppings, fly-infested food and crisps ‘sticky with mouse urine’ were found at two of their stores. The grim discoveries were made at the 99p stores in Croydon, south London – leading to the hefty fine being imposed on operators Poundland, who bought the discount chain earlier this year.
Croydon Council inspectors visited 99p stores in North End and Church Street last year after complaints from shoppers and noticed a strong smell of mouse urine, and droppings over the floor. A store-room also contained fly-infested rotting fruit, while the shop floor was littered with food waste.
A separate visit to the Church Street branch led inspectors to discover ‘sticky’ packets of crisps covered in mouse urine and chewed packaging. Both stores were ordered to close until the infestations had been tackled, but mouse droppings have still been discovered during four subsequent inspections.
