A DEAD rodent next to the kitchen, mouse droppings in a bag of onions and live cockroaches in the restaurant have been revealed as some of the reasons for the temporary closure of an Oxford restaurant.

Oxford City Council environmental health officers shut down Cafe Rouge in Little Clarendon Street, Oxford, after a customer reported seeing a mouse on the premises.

The eaterie, which is one of more than 100 branches nationwide, was closed the following day after an inspection.

The court heard findings included: Mouse droppings in a bag of red onions, mouse droppings in food containers and equipment, mouse droppings and a dead mouse in external areas of the premises next to the kitchen, mouse droppings in a light fitting in the potwash area, mouse droppings in other parts of the potwash area and vegetable-storage areas, live adult cockroaches in the restaurant area and a walk-in chiller where ready-to-eat food is stored.

The city council had applied for a long-term prohibition order last Monday, but following work by the restaurant’s owners it was allowed to re-open on Tuesday.

At Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday, the city council revoked its request for a longer closure, but had to satisfy the court its initial emergency prohibition order had been justified.

Jeremy Franklin, representing the council, said: “On Friday there was an imminent risk to public health, but by Tuesday work had been carried out to remove that risk.”

Having described the initial scene facing inspectors, he said the presence of adult cockroaches showed the infestation was “effectively not under control”.

Magistrates heard that following its closure, Cafe Rouge had worked to rectify the situation and was able to reopen last Tuesday.

Mr Franklin said: “On Tuesday, an officer visited again and found the action taken by the premises was sufficient to remove the health risk which was the subject of the prohibition notice.”

Cafe Rouge operations director Philip Blackband told the court: “We are not disputing anything. We are working closely with Andy Forbes (the environmental health officer in the case) and have been since Friday.”

Outside court, Mr Forbes said: “We have checked adjoining premises and they’re absolutely fine. This is a premises- specific action.”

He said there was “ongoing dialogue” with Cafe Rouge, but said he could not rule out a prosecution based on the situation that initially confronted him.