A school kitchen that had been forced to close due to a mouse infestation has been passed to be able to reopen.
Following several visits from environmental health officers to Sonning Common Primary School, it has been confirmed the kitchen is now mouse-free after it was shut down on Monday, July 15.
The kitchen will not reopen until the school year returns in September with children off for the summer holidays with health officers from South Oxfordshire District Council set to make a final check before the children return.
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Officers found a dead mouse next to the servery area and mouse droppings throughout the kitchen and food storage areas during a routine unannounced food hygiene inspection and issued a hygiene emergency prohibition notice.
South Oxfordshire District Council has since released a statement confirming the notice order has now been lifted.
A statement from South Oxfordshire District Council said: “Following further checks by Environmental Health Officers from South Oxfordshire District Council, the Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Order on the kitchen at Sonning Common Primary School was lifted yesterday (Wednesday, July 31).
“The kitchen had been forced to close on Monday, July 15 after officers found evidence of a mouse infestation during a routine unannounced food hygiene inspection.
“Officers are now satisfied that the risk to public health has been removed meaning the kitchen can reopen, although it is currently not in use due to the school holidays.
“Another visit will be made at the start of the school term in September to ensure that the premises have remained pest-free.”
The headteacher of the school, who uses Kites Kitchen as their food business operator, previously spoke out following health officers finding the mouse infestation.
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Chris Hurst, headteacher of Sonning Common Primary School, said: "The kitchen and associated areas will be professionally deep cleaned during the summer vacation.
"Kites Kitchen operate to the highest standards and their food hygiene rating has consistently been the top possible score.
"We are confident that we will soon be able to operate as normal."
Kites Kitchen caters for children attending primary school and also provides meals for the associated preschool.
The school caters for more than 300 children a day, ranging in age from two to eleven years old.
In a statement following the notice order, Kites Kitchens said: "Kites Kitchen are grateful for the support of the school which is in a rural area, and the kitchen is part of an old building.
"This, along with the relentless wet weather have been contributing factors.
"We were advised by Environmental Health that we would have again received a rating of five without this problem.”
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About the author
Rob is a digital reporter who covers a wide range of topics.
He joined the Oxford Mail in February 2023 having previously been at sister paper The Bucks Free Press for two years.
Rob completed a Sports Journalism degree before earning his NCTJ Diploma at Darlington College and can be found on X at @RobertFolker.
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