A popular restaurant has been ordered to close down after 'maggots fell from the ceiling onto a diner's table'.
China Court Restaurant, in Birmingham's Chinese Quarter, was inspected by Birmingham City Council on Tuesday, May 31, following a complaint that maggots 'fell from the ceiling'.
The council has been successful in its court application today, Monday, June 6, for a hygiene emergency prohibition order at Birmingham Magistrates' Court, which ruled there was an 'imminent risk of injury to health', reports BirminghamLive.
The restaurant will have to rectify a number of identified issues to the council's satisfaction before it can reopen.
Environmental health officer Savraj Bahia, who inspected the restaurant, said: "Initially we had a complaint that when a diner sat down at the restaurant some maggots fell from the ceiling on to the table."
The environmental officer proceeded to take the court through a series of photographs demonstrating mice droppings on shelving, work surfaces and near a freezer.
Ms Bahia also highlighted other 'greasy' and 'filthy' conditions at the premises.
Asked specifically about the maggots the officer suggested a mouse could have died and started to decay above the ceiling boards.
She confirmed removing the boards to 'see what's going on up there' was included on a schedule of works, which need to be completed before the venue can open again.
Outlining the risk presented by mice Ms Bahia added: "Mice are incontinent. They are always on the move, constantly urinating and defecating.
Mouse droppings were on work surfaces in the kitchen which would have been used to prepare food.
"Whether they were sanitised before I visited I don't know. Quite clearly the cleaning was very poor, in my opinion it was non-existent.
"Mice are known to carry salmonella which can be a severe poisoning bacteria for humans."
The officer confirmed the management at the premises, run by Southside Restaurant, had been properly notified.
However, they would not be attending the court hearing because they were unable to bring in a deep cleaner until today, after the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Ms Bahia also told the court that the double bank holiday last week caused a slight delay in the case coming to court.
The Chair of the Bench ruled: "The bench is satisfied the order is appropriate because there is a risk of harm."
