Birmingham businesses faced significant fines and temporary closures in August after cases brought by the city council were heard at Birmingham Magistrates Court. The offences included rodent infestations, a live mouse discovered in a trap, alcohol sold to a 16-year-old and a cockroach infestation at a butchers.
The cases were heard during dedicated sessions known as 'Corporation Court', where council officers prosecuted several restaurants, takeaways and shops. The court dealt with a range of food safety and trading standards violations over the month.
Mediterranean Pizza fined for ingredient failures
Mediterranean Pizza in School Road was fined £4,000 after workers could not provide details of ingredients contained in a donner burger and a pizza when quizzed by council officers during a visit in September 2025. The company also faced a charge of failing to make available information regarding relevant foods at a hearing on Thursday, August 13.
Prosecutors said the company had fully complied with officers during the investigation, but representatives failed to attend court and were found guilty of the two offences in their absence. Magistrates issued the £4,000 fine and ordered the company to pay a £1,600 surcharge and prosecution costs of £1,937.35.
7 Star Food and Wine sold alcohol to teenager
A 16-year-old was able to purchase a bottle of WKD Blue vodka from 7 Star Food and Wine in Glenpark Road without being asked to provide any ID. The incident happened during a Birmingham Trading Standards test purchase exercise carried out in January this year.
In mitigation, the court heard the company did have steps in place to prevent this, but a member of staff failed to adhere to them, and the owners accepted their responsibility. Magistrates fined the company £154 and ordered it to pay a surcharge of £62 and costs of £1,000 at the hearing on Thursday, August 13.
Golden Kitchen hit with £3,000 fine over mouse discovery
Environmental health officers discovered a live mouse on a sticky board trap during an inspection of Golden Kitchen in Ermington Way in May 2025. They also found mouse droppings throughout the takeaway, including in food preparation areas and on packaging containing food.
Magistrates heard it was the first inspection carried out at the premises under the ownership of GK Chinese Ltd, which had registered the company just weeks before. The company, which did not attend the Thursday, August 27 hearing, was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay a £1,200 surcharge and prosecution costs of £1,591.35.
Sonali Supermarket director admits rodent charges
Sonali supermarket director Mohammed Shafique Uddin admitted failing to stop rodents infesting the business and protecting food from contamination. Uddin pleaded guilty to six charges during a hearing held at Birmingham Magistrates Court on Thursday, August 27.
Lawyers representing Uddin requested an adjournment for sentencing so they could gather vital documents including company accounts, and this was granted by the bench. Magistrates adjourned the case for sentencing, which will take place on Thursday, September 24.
Al-Aqsa Halal Meat closed over cockroach infestation
Al Aqsa Halal 786 Ltd was ordered to close following an infestation of cockroaches at its butchers in Showell Green Lane. The premises was shut down when council inspectors found an "active infestation of cockroaches and mouse droppings at all levels over containers of prepared food".
Birmingham Magistrates' Court granted a hygiene emergency prohibition order on Monday, August 24, because of an imminent risk of injury to health. Store bosses were told they would have to stay shut until officers were satisfied the risk to public health had been eliminated. The butchers was given a Food Hygiene rating of one with 'major improvement necessary' in May 2025.
