Wigan takeaway infested with mice

The Lily Lion Chinese takeaway on Broad ’oth’ Lane, Shevington, was hit with an emergency prohibition order by magistrates following a visit by health inspectors to the premises.

GALLERY: Hygiene ratings - latest results

Wigan justices heard that they found a “widespread infestation” of mice in all of its food preparation areas.

This, the court was told, posed an imminent of risk of injury to health.

But the business has since been allowed to re-open after a major clean-up was approved.

The operator, named as Ruoyi Guo, was not present to hear the court rule on Wigan Council officers’ application for a closure order under the 1990 Food Safety Act.

The bench ruled: “This presents a significant risk of contamination of food and an imminent risk of injury to health. The use of the premises at Lily Lion, 9

Broad O’th Lane, Shevington, Wigan, for the purpose of any food business is prohibited.”

The defendant was also ordered to pay the council’s costs to the sum of £638.

The business has since brought in exterminators and undergone a deep clean to prove to inspectors that the premises are pest-free before it could successfully apply for the order to be lifted.

Council officers do offer help in bringing around such improvements.

Julie Middlehurst, group manager for regulatory services, said: “Lily Lion was served with a hygiene emergency prohibition notice after an inspection by the Environmental Health team.

“The court later issued a hygiene emergency prohibition order stating the business must remain closed until we are satisfied that it is safe for them to re-open.

“The business is working with us and have now re-opened after a further visit showed that they had made considerable improvements. The matter is still ongoing.”

When last visited under the council’s hygiene ratings scheme two years ago, the Lily Lion was given a score of three, which means generally satisfactory.