Mice and beetle nest found at Southall butcher’s shop

The owner of a Southall butchers has been fined after the discovery of an infestation of mice and insects.

Mohammed Hanif Khan, Owner of Hanif Halal Meat, in The Broadway, Southall, pleaded guilty to 4 offences at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 20th January.

The court heard that Khan had been ordered to close the shop immediately in October 2024, after an unannounced inspection by Ealing Council’s Food Safety team found mice droppings, food debris, and larder beetles throughout the premises.

Khan was fined £1,923 and ordered to pay court costs of £2,758.70 and a victim surcharge of £769 – a total of £5,450.70.

On 23rd October 2024, the council’s Food Safety officers visited the business following a complaint from a member of the public about poor hygiene. They found mouse poo on equipment, food surfaces, and next to takeaway containers. There was a strong smell at the back of the shop, which was found to be caused by food debris in machinery and on the fridge seal. A nest of larder beetles was also found in the butcher’s block, and live beetles were found on the floor under the meat mincer.

The officers also discovered the building had gaps under doors and in walls, making it easy for pests to get in. It was decided that the conditions posed an imminent risk to health, and a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice was served on the business, forcing it to close until the problems were fixed.


Mould growth and dirt on the wall of the walk-in chiller (Image: Ealing Council)

After the closure, council officers revisited the shop on 31st October 2024. They found that significant improvements had been made and allowed the business to reopen.

Councillor Kamaljit Nagpal, Ealing Council’s Cabinet Member for Decent Living Incomes, said: “Rodent infestations in food businesses are completely unacceptable. The law on food hygiene standards is very clear, and this egregious breach of the rules put the shop’s customers at real risk of sickness. Our Food Safety team take swift action when a business does not observe the law.”

This article was published by Ealing Council on 04/03/2026 and can be viewed at https://www.aroundealing.com/news/mice-and-beetles/