Gnawed food packaging, mouse droppings, and a ‘widespread’ pest infection were found by inspectors at a Costcutter convenience store in Carshalton, it has been revealed.

The branch, in Middleton Road, had faeces on top of foodstuffs and throughout – including both on top and under shelving – while ‘numerous holes’ were also discovered.

A Costcutter Supermarkets Group spokeswoman said ‘urgent action’ has been taken after the shop received a zero food hygiene rating out of five in its latest published judgement.

The report, seen by Sutton Guardian, said: “[Costcutter should] obtain the services of a pest contractor to treat the [then-]current infestation and pest-proof all possible entry points.

“Remove any foodstuffs where droppings were found, risk assess, and dispose where necessary, remove all mouse droppings and conduct a deep clean and sterilise.

“Regular deep cleaning should be undertaken on a weekly or monthly basis.”

Sutton Guardian obtained the report through a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to Sutton Council.

The visit, on January 15, lasted an hour and a half before the outcome of the inspection was rated ‘unsatisfactory’.

It added: "[There was] no food safety management system in place, no pest contract in place and one packet of sugar [was] found taped up in the storeroom."

A voluntary closure agreement was served to the rear store where foodstuffs are kept due to the ‘infestation of mice’, while the manager was told to obtain a Safer Food, Better Business (SFBB) retail pack.

A Costcutter Supermarkets Group spokeswoman said: “Consistency of store standards amongst our independent retailers who run the vast majority of our stores is a priority for the business.

“The retailer at Costcutter in Middleton Road has taken urgent action to ensure the store is fully complaint within the inspector’s comments.”

Your Local Guardian:

Details were published on the Government’s Food Standards Agency website after the store was inspected, and the rating was given after it was visited by food safety officers from Sutton Council.

Three elements were judged:

1. How hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared, cooked, re-heated, cooled and stored

2. The condition of the structure of the buildings – the cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation, and other facilities

3. How the business manages what it does to make sure food is safe and so that the officer can be confident standards will be maintained in the future

This Costcutter branch was told there is 'improvement necessary' in the first category, 'urgent improvement necessary' in the second and 'major improvement necessary' in the third.