Mice force closure of city centre cafe

Boston Tea Party was given formal notice to shut by the council

A cafe in the heart of Birmingham has reopened the day after being shut due to mice on the premises.

Environmental health officers (EHO) from the city council gave Boston Tea Party on Corporation Street formal notice to close on Wednesday.

The authority said the decision followed a regular inspection and was "due to the presence of mouse activity".

Boston Tea Party CEO Paul Hooker said the business had met officers to discuss generally the issue of mice in the city centre, adding: "[We] are delighted [the officers] have agreed to let us reopen."

He said: "We're committed to working very closely with EHO to address their concerns.

"We have been trading here for 13 years and have never before had a problem."

The venue was committed to regaining and retaining a high environmental health rating, he added.

The cafe - one in a chain nationwide - was issued with a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice, a legal mechanism requiring a site's immediate closure.

The council said the premises was regularly visited and officers would reinspect before the matter went before magistrates on 30 June.

Of the chain's 22 venues, another two are in Birmingham, in Edgbaston and Harborne.