Merry Hill Subway franchise guilty of food hygiene breaches
A Subway outlet on the lower mall of Merry Hill has been ordered to pay a total of £5,200, after its operator pleaded guilty to five offences under food hygiene legislation.
The case was heard on 2 July at Dudley Magistrates’ Court, where operator Sirtek (Dudley) Ltd admitted to serious hygiene failings.
Failings were identified by Dudley Council’s environmental health officers during a visit to the shopping centre outlet in January 2024.
Officers discovered mouse droppings in several key areas of the premises, including the front servery and sandwich preparation area, the staff toilet, and the rear storage area where packaging and cleaning materials were kept.
Due to the immediate risk to health, the council exercised its emergency powers to order the closure of the premises. The business was only allowed to reopen after officers confirmed that all necessary cleaning and pest control measures had been completed and that there was no evidence of ongoing pest activity.
The court imposed a fine of £2,000, along with a victim surcharge of £800 and prosecution costs of £2,400, bringing the total financial penalty to £5,200.
Councillor Phil Atkins, cabinet member responsible for trading standards and environmental health, said:
“Our environmental health team is there to ensure businesses prepare and serve food in a way that meets the expected standards.
“This shocking case highlights the fact that we will not hesitate to pursue businesses who are not fulfilling their obligations, and we are pleased to see this verdict in court.”
Members of the public can check food hygiene ratings for local businesses by visiting the Food Standards Agency website at https://ratings.food.gov.uk.