posted 09-19-2004 08:13 AM                    

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Cinema's food store 'infested with mice'

BY ANGIE BROWN

A CITY cinema was given 24 hours to clean up its act after environmental health officers discovered it was infested with mice.

Pest control experts are now monitoring UGC Cinemas in Fountain Park after horrified movie-goers spotted mice scurrying around in an auditorium.

When inspectors visited the 12-screen multiplex, they found mice droppings in popcorn in a backroom store.

Council officials have forced cinema bosses to destroy all the stock in two food areas after inspecting the premises following the find.

Cinema management confirmed that they had a rodent "situation" two weeks ago but they had since taken "precautionary measures".

A source at the city council’s environmental and consumer services department said inspectors were horrified with what they found at the Fountain Park cinema. "Officers went down after the department received a call from a cinema customer.

"There were droppings in the popcorn which was in a store cupboard.

"They found the same in the confectionery cupboard and ordered staff to destroy the lot.

"They were also told to disinfect everything and do remedial work on the building so that all the holes are blocked up. I felt sick when I read the report of the findings."

Eric Robinson, head of regulatory services for the city’s Environmental and Consumer Services department confirmed officers visited the cinema on Monday, January 20.

"Officers discovered evidence of a heavy infestation of mice in the confectionery stores. UGC Cinemas were immediately given 24 hours to rectify the situation. In response, the owners engaged pest control contractors.

"Environmental health officers revisited the premises [the following day] to ensure that our requirements had been met. On this occasion the store had been cleared and all of the contents destroyed.

"Environmental health officers will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that compliance with regulations is maintained.

"The council takes complaints of this nature extremely seriously. "

A 17-year-old schoolgirl, who wishes to remain anonymous, said she was given a full refund on two £4.80 tickets for 8 Mile - the new Eminem film, after seeing mice in Screen Seven during a visit to the cinema on Friday, January 17.

She said: "We had arrived early because it is half day at school on a Friday.

"We were the only two in the room and we went to the back.

"As we were getting nearer to the seats, I saw a mouse running along the back of the seat and another jumping from the back row to the row of seats in front.

"I could also hear them scurrying and scratching about the floor. I turned and ran.

"When my boyfriend told the staff they said we could get a refund, which we did.

" I just couldn’t go back in to watch the film."

A UGC Cinemas spokeswoman said: "UGC Cinemas was visited by the environmental health agency and, as advised, took precautionary measures to destroy all stock in the two rooms specified.

"UGC’s retained pest control agency has not found any mice since the reported sighting two weeks ago.

"The cinema will continue to work closely with both parties to monitor the situation and ensure it is expedited with immediate effect."

Tony Stephens, spokesman for Rentokil Pest Control, said: "Mice aid the spread of diseases such as salmonella food poisoning through their urine and droppings.

"When you consider that mice produce up to 80 droppings a day and are incontinent, leaving trails of urine spots wherever they go, the risk of them contaminating food is quite significant.

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