Danish bakery and coffee house Ole & Steen, which operates 26 UK locations, has been fined after environmental health inspectors carried out a routine inspection at its Haymarket branch (No. 2, 56 Haymarket, St James’s Market, London SW1Y).
During a January 2025 inspection, officers found evidence of significant mouse activity throughout food preparation and storage areas, including fresh mouse droppings in multiple locations.
A number of poor food hygiene practices presenting a risk of cross-contamination were also identified by the investigating team.
In a damning indictment of the Haymarket café, Westminster City Council revealed that the business had already been made aware of the pest issues through its pest control contractor prior to the inspection but had failed to take action.
The council said its investigation included a detailed inspection of the premises, a review of pest control records, photographic evidence, and an assessment of the food safety management systems in place.
Ultimately, officers concluded that although procedures existed on paper, they had not been effectively implemented in practice.
On 10 June, Westminster Magistrates’ Court found that Ole & Steen had failed to protect food from contamination risks associated with pest activity and poor hygiene controls.
The business pleaded guilty and was fined £26,000; with additional costs, the total financial penalty reached £34,847.
In delivering its verdict, the court placed significant weight on the fact that the business had prior knowledge of the issues but failed to take effective action before the council’s intervention.
Councillor Caroline Sargent, deputy leader and cabinet member for enforcement, said: “We expect the highest possible food hygiene standards for our residents and visitors, and we will not tolerate a half-baked approach to safety,
“Our environmental health officers found a catalogue of serious failings, including mouse droppings in several locations and poor food hygiene practices, despite this branch receiving previous warnings.
She added: “We hope this prosecution will send a message that when it comes to public safety, Westminster City Council will not sugar-coat the facts.”
The Copenhagen-based firm operates across Denmark, the US and the UK, with most of its 26 British locations in London, and additional coffee houses in Windsor, Guildford and Oxford.
