Rat infestation discovered at Route 1066 Cafe near Hastings

Environmental health officers turned up unannounced to Route 1066 Café after a tip-off about a rat infestation on August 9 last year.

Fresh droppings, paw prints and a live rat were found when officers searched the premises on the A21 north of Hastings.

Owner Sandra Wells, 62, who lives above the cafe near Robertsbridge, offered to close the business immediately. It is a common meeting place for motorbiking groups.

The cafe was made to pay £10,000 for the health and safety breach at a hearing in Hastings Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

“The business had been trading and staff were preparing food at the time of the visit. Rat paw prints were also found behind a chest freezer. Rats are a clear risk to public health,” said prosecutor Matthew Thompsett.

When one of the officers went around the side of the building there was food waste scattered about and when they lifted up a metal sheet a rat ran out.

The cafe is next to a car wash which is where the rats live beneath, the court heard (Image: Google Maps)

Opening and closing checks, which are a log of cleaning duties that need to be carried out, had not been recorded since May 15.

The court heard that there was a hole in the side room which is believed to be the entry point.

The council visited again in September and October.

Mr Thompsett added: “Ms Wells told officers she knew it was an issue that she thought she could get on top of. She was ashamed. She said she contacted the pest control on the day the council visited.

“She was ashamed at the state the cafe was in.”

The business was fined £6,000 in total for three different offences of failing to comply with EU provision concerning food safety and hygiene.

It had to pay a £2,400 surcharge to the court and £1,724 in costs to Rother District Council.

Ms Wells told the court: “I agree, I am totally ashamed of the condition of the cafe. I knew there was a hole but did not realise it was as bad as it was. I realise that is not enough.

“We are in a rural area, there is a farm nearby and the rats live under a nearby car wash.

“The bins had been raided for oil, that is why it was such a mess around that side. I did not do enough, I did not keep on top of it, I was not in good health at the time.”

MOST READ:

• Teacher kissed teenage student after he told her that he loved her

• Trail that passes through Sussex named among 15 greatest walks in Britain

• Plan for drive-through fast-food restaurant on busy road approved

​To have access to all of our best stories subscribe to The Argus here

Ms Wells said she had rheumatism which meant she could not bend down to check everywhere was clean.

“I was relying on staff to do those jobs for me. I have never seen a live rat in the building, the food was always locked away.”

Chairman of the bench Simon Corrello asked why she did not contact the council about the problem.

“I did not realise it was that bad, I should have done that,” she said.

“I was trying to get the holes filled up and make sure they were not getting in the building.”

Ms Wells said she was in the process of selling the business.

The business was fined for failing to protect food against contamination, failing to prevent rats gaining entry to the premises and failing to maintain a permanent procedure based on the hazard analysis and critical control point.