Catalogue of hygiene horrors uncovered at Birmingham’s crime

Two ‘Bob Shops’ were ordered to take urgent action on more than 80 issues after inspectors found a catalogue of food hygiene breaches.

The convenience stores in the West Midlands had already drawn attention from the authorities over their suspected links to criminal gangs.

Two of the premises can now be shown to have received damning food hygiene reports in documents released by Birmingham City Council.

Bob Shop 9, which is adorned with flashing lights, Afghan flags and soft toys outside the entrance, was told to ‘remove mouse droppings’ from a rear storeroom, to stop using paint brushes in food prep and to ‘store prayer mats off food contact surfaces and away from food.’

Another of the more than 50 action points issued to the store, in Lozells, Birmingham, reads: ‘Do not use bin bags