An upmarket Danish bakery chain has been forced to pay more than £34,000 over “serious failings” at its flagship store in central London.
Fresh mouse droppings and “significant” rodent activity were found in multiple locations throughout the Haymarket branch of Ole & Steen during a routine inspection in January 2025 by Westminster City Council environmental health officers.
The bakery had previously been made aware of pest issues in this store by a pest control contractor, but had not taken effective measures to resolve them.
The company, which made its UK debut at Haymarket in 2016, pleaded guilty to failing to protect food from contamination risks associated with pest activity and poor hygiene controls at Westminster Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
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.
“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 business was fined £26,000 and ordered to pay costs of £8,847 – a total penalty of £34, 847.
The court placed significant weight on the business’ failure to act on the knowledge of an infestation prior to the council’s investigation.
An Ole & Steen spokesperson said: “In late 2024, the conditions at our St James’s Market store fell below the standard our customers expect and the standard we hold ourselves to.
“We immediately closed the store to address the issue and re-opened two days later. Westminster City Council visited while we were taking action, and this location has now been awarded four stars for hygiene and cleanliness.
“We remain committed to upholding the highest food safety and hygiene standards across all of our stores.”
Featured image: Google Maps street view (Ole & Steen Haymarket branch)
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