Latest News - Prosecutions

The Range in Suez Road, Enfield has been fined a total of a quarter of a million pounds for failing to ensure adequate procedures in place to control pests on their premises.

The successful prosecution by Enfield Council followed inspections by the Council’s environmental health officers, who received complaints from residents of rat sightings and hearing scuttling and squeaking within the store.

CDS Superstores (International) Ltd trading as The Range, pleaded guilty to two offences that took place on their premises between 5 February 2024 and 15 January 2025 at Wood Green Crown Court on 14 May 2025.

A fine of £100,000 was issued for the first offence on 5 February 2024 for a failure to ensure adequate procedures were in place to control pests.

Following a further visit on 15 January 2025, the defendant breached Regulation 19 of the Food Safety and Hygiene (England) Regulations 2013 again when the council officers found further rodent activity, and an ongoing failure to ensure adequate procedures in place to control pests.

The company received a further fine of £150,000 in relation to the second offence. CDS were also ordered to pay the Council’s costs of £7,460.43 in full.

On their first visit, Enfield Council’s environmental health officers found a severe rat infestation when they visited the premises, along with a strong odour of rat urine and faeces on the floor, shelving and stock.

Numerous pet food packs even had visible gnaw marks and stock had spilled out on to the floor. There was also evidence of faeces and smear marks across pet bedding as well as the floors and shelving with a build-up of grease, hair and body fat which rodents leave as they travel around.

The warehouse was found to be disorganised, which allowed pests to find shelter and to remain concealed, with ideal conditions for nesting and breeding.

Due to the imminent risk to and danger to public health, CDS agreed to immediately close their premises under a Voluntary Closure Agreement and to address the issues identified by Council officers.

The company was instructed to contact a reputable pest control company to deal with the infestation and to remove and dispose of any possible food sources for rats from the premises.

CDS were also ordered to conduct a deep clean of the warehouse, shop floor, shelving and displays.

The Range was re-opened by Council officers on 13 March 2024 once checks were made to ensure requirements of the voluntary closure agreement had been met.

Officers returned on 15 January 2025 and although some improvements had been made, more fresh droppings were found, and live rats were spotted again in the warehouse.

Due to the severity of the case, Enfield Council deemed it in the public interest to follow up with legal action against CDS and issued court proceedings.

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