A COMMUNITY pub was temporarily shut down by council officers after two dead mice were found during an unannounced inspection. 

The Plough in West Hanney, near Wantage, has also been ordered to pay nearly £1,500 by Oxford Magistrates Court. 

Landlord Nick Musgrove has stressed the pub was able to re-open two days later after council officers were satisfied steps had been taken to rectify the problem. 

Vale of White Horse District Council environmental health officers visited on August 15 for a routine visit and found the mice on the floor and mouse droppings stuck to work surfaces and shelving in the pub’s food preparation area.

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Immediate action was taken by the inspectors, who served a hygiene notice, which prevented the restaurant from serving food to protect the public from imminent risk to health.

The council said the owners of the pub have since 'co-operated fully with the inspectors' and have taken necessary steps to address the issues raised. 

A full deep clean of the kitchen was carried out and structural improvements to the building were made to prevent pests from entering. 

Two days later, the hygiene notice was lifted and the food preparation area reopened. 

Mr Musgrove said: "We are a thatched building in the countryside and it is harvest time. 

"All the houses around here have mice - they are everywhere - unfortunately that is one of the realities of living in the countryside. 

"There have never been any signs of mice before and haven't been since. 

"We have done everything that has been asked of us and we were allowed to open again within two days."

The Plough, in Church Street, was bought by members of the local community in 2015. 

A co-operative was formed to purchase the pub from then owners Punch Taverns and has since been held up as a 'beacon of community enterprise'.

Roger Cox, leader of the council said: “We have a duty to help to protect people’s health and hope this action demonstrates that we will always take immediate action, to ensure that all catering businesses understand the importance of high food standards.”

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Oxford Magistrates Court endorsed the officers’ actions and ordered the owners of the freehouse to pay £1,495.50 to cover the council’s costs.

The council said it is continuing to work with the business to help them improve their level of compliance.