Tesco Express at The Mailbox in Birmingham city centre has temporarily closed after "mice activity" was discovered inside the store. The branch has been shut for more than a week, with management working to address the issue before reopening.
Council inspection prompted by complaint
A Birmingham City Council health inspector visited the store on October 9 "following a complaint" from a member of the public. The authority confirmed that Tesco voluntarily closed the premises while the supermarket dealt with the problem.
According to a council spokesperson, the inspection identified evidence of mice activity. However, based on the findings at the time of the visit, officials determined there was no imminent risk to public health. No emergency closure notice was served on the store.
Tesco says closure is precautionary
Tesco said it closed the branch as a "precautionary measure" and apologised for "the inconvenience caused". A Tesco spokesperson said: "We set ourselves the highest store standards and have decided to temporarily close our Birmingham Mailbox Express store as a precautionary measure. We're sorry for the inconvenience caused. We're working hard to re-open as soon as possible."
The Mailbox store remains closed as of October 22, more than a week after the inspection. It is unclear when the store will reopen, with Tesco stating only that it is working to resume operations as soon as possible.
