A supermarket in Birmingham has been ordered to pay almost £24,000 after a shocking pest infestation was uncovered, including a live mouse and cockroaches in the crisps aisle.
Court Hearing Reveals Shocking Conditions
The case against Inventure Soho Road Ltd, the company operating S&D Supermarket on Soho Road in Handsworth, was heard at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on October 30, 2025. The firm pleaded guilty to five offences under the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013.
Details of the prosecution were later published in a Birmingham City Council report to a licensing committee on January 14, 2026.
Live Pests and Rodent Droppings Found
Environmental health inspectors from the council discovered appalling conditions during their visit. The official report stated that a live mouse was located in the crisp section along with live cockroaches.
Furthermore, shelves throughout the store were contaminated with rodent droppings. The council found the premises were not kept clean, cleaning procedures were extremely poor, and the structure of the building was unsuitable, allowing easy access for pests.
The business was also not registered with Birmingham City Council and had no permanent food safety management procedures in place, a fundamental legal requirement for any food business.
Substantial Fine and Promises of Improvement
In court, the company was handed a £20,000 fine and ordered to pay nearly £4,000 in costs, bringing the total financial penalty close to £24,000.
When contacted, manager Sanjay Patel stated that new owners had taken over in 2024. He explained the store was temporarily closed by the council on August 30 due to the pest activity and reopened on September 1 after renovations.
"We pleaded guilty on October 30," said Patel. "There was an open drainage under the freezer area and we have sealed that off. We've done building work and we've put new fridge freezers and shelves. There has been no issue and we are good." He added the store now holds a four-star food hygiene rating.
The case was one of 303 environmental health matters heard by Birmingham Magistrates' Court in October, which resulted in total fines of just under £95,000.
