Dead and decomposing rats found in oriental supermarket in Banbury

A number of environmental health breeches at the Parsons Street shop were discovered in August, 2018. On December the case was heard by Oxford magistrates.

The Tai Oriental Supermarket owner, Rizway Ifran Tai, of Bath Road, Banbury pleaded guilty to six cases of failing to comply with food hygiene requirements.

Mr Tai had failed to have a pest control treatment in place and a significant amount of rat droppings was found underneath shelving throughout the shop.

Two dead and decomposing adult rats were found on a sticky pest control board; the owner failed to keep the shop clean and maintained and there was no system in place for regular cleaning or maintenance.

He also failed to undertake training and supervision of the staff working at the premises. In addition the owner failed to complete the new registration form notifying the local authority of a change in food operators. Tai was fined a total of £1,000 and ordered to pay £3,850 in costs. The contraventions were found on August 15, 2018.

A spokesman for Cherwell District Council, the authority that enforces environmental health, said: "Cherwell District Council takes the responsibility of enforcing food hygiene legislation seriously and will not hesitate to take the appropriate action against a food business owner where they have failed to meet the necessary standards and/or put the public at risk.

In this case the failings were so serious that it was appropriate to prosecute the owner. I am pleased that as a result of our involvement with this business that the owner has taken steps to make sure that he has addressed all the issues identified by officers from the council.”