A convenience store owner has been ordered to pay more than £15,000 after Stockport Council Environmental Health Officers uncovered a severe mouse infestation.

Mr Gurinder Singh Sandhu, owner of Gary’s Convenience Store on Castle Street, Edgeley, pleaded guilty to five food hygiene offences following inspections carried out by Stockport Council in November 2024.

Environmental Health Officers visited the premises and found extensive evidence of a severe mouse infestation throughout the store, including droppings in food storage and display areas, gnawed food packaging and a strong odour associated with infestation. Food on sale was found to be at serious risk of contamination.

Officers also identified a lack of hot running water, inadequate cleaning and sanitising arrangements, and no pest control contract in place.

The business agreed to voluntarily close following the inspection and was given a Food Hygiene Rating of 0, indicating that urgent improvement was necessary.

Subsequent visits found continued evidence of mouse activity, and a second voluntary closure was agreed while extensive remedial works were carried out.

More than 700 food products were removed and destroyed as part of the investigation to protect consumers from potentially contaminated goods. The operation required significant work by 13 council officers, who oversaw the identification, removal and disposal of food products from the premises.

Reopening was approved on 6 December 2024 after officers were satisfied that the infestation was under control, the premises had been thoroughly cleaned, and food was no longer at risk of contamination.

At its most recent routine food hygiene inspection on 26 June 2025, Gary’s Convenience Store was awarded a Food Hygiene Rating of 4.

Manchester Crown Court sentenced Gurinder Singh Sandhu on 5 June 2026 after he pleaded guilty to five offences. The offences related to:

Failing to protect food and the premises from contamination by pests
Failing to protect food from contamination likely to render it unfit for human consumption
Failing to provide suitable hand-washing facilities
Failing to keep the premises clean and maintained in good repair
Failing to implement and maintain food safety management procedures
The court imposed fines totalling £750, ordered Mr Sandhu to pay prosecution costs of £14,000 and a victim surcharge of £300, bringing the total financial penalty to £15,050.

Councillor Dan Oliver, Cabinet Member for Communities, Culture and Public Protection at Stockport Council, said: “The conditions identified were completely unacceptable and posed a significant risk to public health. Residents have a right to feel confident in the safety of the food they purchase, and we will continue to take decisive action against those who fail to meet their responsibilities and put the public at risk.”