A "heavy rodent infestation" closed a discount store in the Southside shopping centre on Friday after an inspection found droppings and "gnawed food" in customer areas.

Wandsworth Times:

Poundland was forced to close around 12pm amid reports from customers that there were "rodents running around the aisles".

June 2012: Poundland fined after Croydon store found infested with mice

A hygiene emergency prohibition report on the front of the store revealed that rodents had been found through food areas of the shop.

The report stated that the shop had been closed because: "A heavy rodent infestation causing health risks is present throughout the food areas, in the customer service areas, and warehouse storage areas: gnawed foods, droppings on food and non-contact food areas."

Wandsworth Times:

A spokesman for Poundland said: "The store was closed to enable matters identified by our local environmental health officer to be investigated.

"Poundland takes matters relating to the health and safety of its colleagues and customers very seriously."

In June 2015, Poundland was fined £10,000 after mice droppings and gnawed packets of food were found in an Islington branch.

In June 2012, the store was fined £24,000 after droppings were found in the Croydon Whitgift centre branch.

A spokesman for Wandsworth Council said: "Our environmental health team has ordered that the store be closed until further notice after discovering a very serious mouse infestation.

"This posed a serious risk to public health and so we had no choice but to order its immediate closure.

"This decision has now been endorsed following a hearing earlier today at the magistrates court.  

 

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"The shop will not be permitted to sell any food items until the infestation has been addressed and rigorous pest control measures are in place to prevent this happening again.

"Food retail businesses must ensure that they do not jeopardise public health in any way if they wish to continue trading."