Gripes shut dozens of Black Country and Staffordshire food businesses
Dozens of food businesses were temporarily closed or ordered to improve amid complaints ranging from mice to no hot water, it has emerged.
Checks were carried out on thousands of takeaways, restaurants and shops across the Black Country and Staffordshire over a 12 month period, new figures from councils have revealed.
More than 25 were closed or voluntarily shut as a result of hygiene inspections from environmental health officers between April 2014 and March 2015.
Councils completed over 4,200 checks in the last financial year with 1,106 in Walsall which saw 16 premises served with a prohibition notice predominantly for pest infestations.
Some of the most high profile where court action was taken were Blakenall's Family Choice grocery store, which was found to be infested with more than 60 mice on the floors, shelves and in packaged foods.
Others to gave been issued with emergency prohibition orders were Spicy Land and Po Wing, both in Harden Road, and Pizza Nizza in Walsall town centre.
In Sandwell there were 918 food hygiene inspections which saw nine voluntarily shutting for a while and one emergency closure notice.
There were five issues with mice, three with cockroaches, one over no hot water and also over poor cleanliness standards.
Dudley Council environmental health officers carried out 880 inspections and 312 return visits.
Major food hygiene problems were found at 17 premises which resulted in the issuing of 30 improvement notices setting out what action had to be taken. No premises were required to close.
The issues ranged from a failure to train staff in food hygiene matters along with inadequate washing facilities to poor arrangements for the storage and disposal of rubbish.
John Millar, acting strategic director for environment, economy and housing, said: "The council's team of environmental health officers work hard to ensure that all food is safe to eat at premises across Dudley.
"The council is responsible for ensuring satisfactory food hygiene standards are maintained at more than 2,200 premises in the borough that prepare and sell food."
Cannock Chase Council completed 850 checks with a pizza takeaway voluntarily closed.
Head of environmental health Steve Shilvock said: "We carry out checks on all our food businesses to make sure the food they prepare, sell and serve is safe for customers.
Some of our visits are unannounced, and some are planned with the business. "We work with businesses to help them understand why it is important to comply with food hygiene laws and we make sure wherever possible that we avoid taking formal enforcement action."
Stafford Borough Council carried out 526 inspections and no premises were closed. Wolverhampton City Council did not provide figures.
