A historic Derby pub has been handed a 1-star food hygiene rating after inspectors found dead mice and filthy conditions.
Derby City Council’s environmental health inspectors visited The Douglas Bar in Normanton Road on September 23 and inspected the bar, the beer garden, the cellar and the toilets.
During the visit, inspectors discovered mouse droppings in the bar area, along with a glue board containing dead mice.
In the bar area, mouse droppings were found under the pumps on the floor and on the shelves near the glass wash.
Elsewhere, the ceiling was found to be mouldy in the cellar, and the light switch was also dirty.
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The men’s and women’s bathrooms were also found to have poor cleaning, with the report saying it was ‘clear’ the business didn’t put adequate procedures in place.
‘I strongly recommend that you enlist the services of a commercial pest controller to complete a full survey of your premises to identify any gaps or holes that could allow pest access and treat the mouse infestation,’ the report said.
‘There was a gap between the hatch and wall in the cellar,’ the report also noted.
‘You must take all reasonable precautions to prevent food pests, namely rats, mice, cockroaches and flying insects gaining entry into food storage and preparation areas.’
Areas of concern in the report
The following areas were found to be inadequate:
- The lack of cleaning of the premises, which led to the contamination of shelves and the floor by mouse droppings.
- The management of pest prevention to prevent pests from potentially contaminating food for sale.
Health requirements stipulate that any gaps or holes leading to external doors, windows, pipes and drains must be ‘filled or covered with a solid, durable material to minimise pest entry points into food preparation and storage areas.’
The inspector has urged staff to implement a ‘robust’ cleaning schedule, and to monitor damage to the building and repair any issues urgently.
One picture shows the dead mice, which are unrecognisable on the glue boards, and another photo shows mouse droppings in a bowl underneath the bar.
The pub has a rich history serving Derby’s drinkers, having been set up some time between the First and Second World Wars, when a beer retailing business obtained a licence to operate a beerhouse from the site.
The premises had originally been a restaurant called the Refreshment Bar, which, from at least 1889, served the burgeoning communities of Litchurch and New Normanton.
For many years, it was known informally as Harry Leonard’s, as the premises were run, for some time, by the former Derby County player.
The bar now appears to be permanently closed, according to Google Maps.
Metro attempted to contact The Douglas Bar by phone, but the number was disconnected.
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