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A Chinese takeaway owner has been banned from running a food business for four years after an inspection found it was infested with rodents.

Wei Tai Zheng, who runs New Lorens on Rice Lane in L9, has been hit with a total bill of £4,320 – a fine of £2,520 plus costs of £1,800 – after pleading guilty at Liverpool Magistrates Court on 24 July 2025 to nine breaches of food safety and hygiene regulations.

The court heard that when Environmental Health Officers from Liverpool City Council visited on 29 February 2024, they found the premises infested with mice and rats, including droppings on and under equipment, on lids containing foodstuffs. A dead mouse was also found on a glue board in the main kitchen.

A lack of regular and effective cleaning of surfaces under equipment resulted in a build-up of food debris and grease which provided pests with a readily available food source. There were a number of gaps and holes in the premises which provided rodents with access points into the premises.

The conditions were so unhygienic that the shop was immediately shut down because they presented an imminent risk to health, and it was given a zero star rating.

During the closure period, a total of nine mice were caught, which confirmed there was a high level of rodent activity in the premises. After remedial works were carried out, a reinspection took place on 27 March 2024 and the council agreed it could reopen.

A further inspection on 29 August 2024 noted mouse droppings throughout the premises, including under and behind equipment for the second time, including on floor surfaces where uncovered foods were stored, and a lack of regular and effective cleaning of surfaces.

Food products in chilled storage in the premises were past the manufacturers ‘use-by’ date, including packets of raw steak and bacon rashers.

The shop was immediately shut down again and during the closure period three mice were found.

After the premises carried out remedial works, the council revisited on 26 September 2024 and agreed that the takeaway could reopen.

However, the most recent inspection, in March 2025, awarded another zero star rating.

Following the conviction, the court also granted a hygiene prohibition order banning Mr Wei Tai Zheng from managing any food business for a period of 4 years.

District Judge Timothy Boswell commented that when people order food they expect it to taste nice and to be prepared in clean and healthy conditions, noting that the standards fell far below those expected, and were “disgusting”.

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