Oxford restaurant shut down as dead mouse and poo found

Inspectors also discovered a dead mouse behind the freezer of Peppers Burgers in Walton Street, Jericho.

Ryan Cobb, principal lead officer for food safety at Oxford City Council, descrbied the burger bar as being an “imminent risk to health” after what was found inside.

The eatery, which was formerly described as a “rite of passage” for new arrivals in Oxford, was shut down on March 31.

Peppers Burgers in Walton Street (Image: Google)

The restaurant was a burger bar

In a notice, Mr Cobb said: “There was evidence of a serious mouse infestation throughout the premises.

“A dead mouse was found behind a chest freezer in the food storage rooms leading to the kitchen.

“Large numbers of mouse droppings were evident in the kicthen, rear food storage rooms and in the lobby to the WC.

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“Gaps sufficient size for rodents to pass were evident around pipework, skirting boards and through the kitchen floor to the basement.

“In the kitchen, mouse droppings were evident under the sinks, around the pizza oven and on the shelf used to store paper for wrapping high risk ready to eat foods.

Peppers Burgers in Walton Street, Oxford (Image: Submitted)

Peppers Burgers in Walton Street, Oxford (Image: Submitted)

“In the food storage rooms large numbers of mouse droppings were evident under equipment and freezers.

“The staff in control of the business were unable to provide any food safety management procedures, records or evidence any formal pest control checks including a professionsal pest control contract.”

During a visit, Food Standards Agency officials visited Peppers Burgers and gave it just one out of five on its overall standards – a rating described as “major improvement” needed.

Inspectors said at the time that major improvements must be made to systems or checks to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat.

The takeaway must also provide evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future.

Mr Cobb added: “No food safe sanitiser or food safe disinfectant were found in the premises to remove pathogenic bacteria carried by mice.

“There is an imminent risk of contamination of food, food packing, food contact surfaces and food equipment which is likely to result in food poisoning and transmission of many other communicable disease.”

Peppers Burger had enjoyed successful reviews on Google to achieve a 4.8 star rating overall.

Neil Misra said in a review just a week ago: “Excellent veggie burgers, and the variety of customizable sauces/condiments they have is fantastic. Cool Oxford-themed wall art inside.”

But nine months ago, one reviewer named Rebecca Calu claimed she ordered a veggie burger and “got food poisoning”, adding in her review: “Please be careful.”