Mouse droppings found in kitchen at Café Rouge

Some of London’s most popular food chains have failed hygiene checks, with inspectors finding mouse droppings and dead insects in kitchens.

London branches of Café Rouge and Strada were among those given the lowest score by inspectors under the Food Hygiene Ratings Scheme.

A Café Rouge restaurant on the South Bank was given a zero rating, meaning urgent improvement is required, after mouse droppings were found on a shelf used to store chopping boards in the kitchen. Inspectors saw a worker washing his hands while holding raw eggs and found food tongs stored in a changing room sink.

Strada’s flagship restaurant at Tower Bridge was also given zero after it was found to have no hot water and staff were seen placing lids from tubs of raw meat onto boards for cooked food.

A Wimpy branch in Croydon had no hot water or disinfectant, the main freezer was switched off and cleaning cloths for different areas of food preparation were found placed in one bucket. The report from February 2012 said kitchen workers had “inadequate” hygiene awareness.

Inspectors said they were “particularly concerned about the lack of consideration of the risks of cross contamination involving raw meats and ready-to-eat food”.

A spokesman for Wimpy said: “We continually assess standards within our franchises and where those fall below that required we will instruct them on how to improve.” Tragus could not be contacted.