A MANCHESTER UNITED-themed cafe has been fined more than £10,000 after a grim discovery by health officers.
The United Cafe is based on Sir Matt Busby Way in Old Trafford and just 320 metres from Old Trafford.
It now faces a huge bill of over £10k following visits in August and November of 2024.
Health officers found signs of rat activity in the food preparation and storage areas.
This included potatoes being gnawed on, among other pieces of evidence.
It was reported that the business operators had failed to carry out accurate pest checks.
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These are required under procedures from the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point.
The records had been marked as pest-free despite the clear evidence of the active infestation.
The cafe – which is not affiliated with the club – had closed for eight days in order to address the issues found by the officers in the August visit.
However, in the November undercover officers conducted a sampling exercise to judge the compliance with allergen legislation.
They were served a burger containing gluten despite declaring having an allergy.
United Cafe and director Sean Stokes, 56, of Bury New Road, Whitefield, pleaded guilty to offences under the food safety legislation at Manchester Magustrates Court.
A statement from Trafford Council Cllr Rose Thompson read: “Visitors and residents in Trafford have the right to expect good standards of hygiene, and reliable advice on ingredients, from any food outlet that trades in our borough.
“This prosecution shows that we will not hesitate to take action where standards fall short of what is acceptable.
“Thanks to our environmental health team for pursuing this case and bringing this business and its director to court.
“It is a clear warning that substantial fines can be issued to businesses that risk putting people’s health at risk.”
Meanwhile, on the pitch, Manchester United‘s players have been in top form since the arrival of interim manager Michael Carrick.
The Red Devils had won four on the bounce until their 1-1 draw with West Ham at the London Stadium earlier this month.