A Liverpool city centre Subway restaurant "voluntarily closed" its doors following an environmental health inspection.
The branch in Exchange Street East, which is run under a franchise, has since fully re-opened. Neither Liverpool Council nor Subway were able to confirm the reason for the temporary closure.
People who said they were former workers at the Subway branch have shared pictures with the ECHO which they claimed were taken there last November and which appear to show there was then a problem with mice. They also showed the ECHO WhatsApp messages they said were exchanges between staff about the "mice problem".
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However, the council said it could not confirm the temporary closure was related to any allegations about mice and neither Subway nor the franchisee responded to those claims when asked about them.
One of the WhatsApp messages which is said to have been sent last November read: "...regarding the mouse, it was in a humane trap and was dead. I have discarded it and although we now know there is still activity, that is the first one we've seen in a few weeks."
Another said: "They've been around for a few months, there's a ton of food source for them in the store, particularly behind and in between those sofa seats."
There were also pictures showing what appeared to be mouse droppings and mice caught in traps at the branch.
A statement issued by the fast food giant said: "The health and safety of all guests is of paramount importance to Subway. All stores are regularly audited to ensure operational excellence and franchise owners are expected to maintain high food safety standards in their stores.
"We have spoken to the relevant franchise owner on Exchange Street who has confirmed that, on the day of their last inspection, the store received a low rating resulting in a temporary closure of the store.
"The franchise owner has confirmed that all corrective actions have been taken and we expect our franchisee to achieve a 4-star rating within a month of their initial review. They are now in the process of arranging a re-inspection to highlight the improved standards and ensure preventative measures so that such issues do not occur again."
The council's environmental team inspected Subway on Exchange St East in the city centre on July 27, after which it voluntarily closed.
A Liverpool council spokesperson said: "Following an inspection by the city council’s environmental health team, the premises voluntarily closed. Our EH Team allowed Exchange St Subway to reopen following remedial works and monitoring carried out to satisfaction."
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