A video of a mouse scurrying inside a popular food stall at Birmingham's Bullring shopping centre has sparked concern and an official response from the chain involved.
Shopper's Shocking Discovery Goes Viral
Rhea Farmaha, a 26-year-old from Birmingham, captured the footage of the small rodent inside the Batch'd kiosk back in October. The horrified shopper uploaded the video to TikTok, stating she had reported the incident to environmental health officers.
Batch'd Responds to Rodent Allegations
Louis Richmond, Operations Director for Batch'd, has now issued a detailed statement. He confirmed that professional pest control is in place at the site and that the company takes any pest-related issues "extremely seriously" with "robust procedures".
However, he pointed to external factors, stating: "Within Birmingham Bullring, it has been widely publicised that there is currently an increased issue with mice due to ongoing bin strikes and broader waste-management challenges across the city."
He emphasised that as a kiosk in a busy mall, they are more exposed to the centre's wider environment but actively work to mitigate the risk.
Food Safety Record and Inspection Outcome
In defence of the brand's overall standards, Richmond highlighted that 24 of their 25 nationwide locations hold a 4 or 5-star Food Hygiene Rating, with Birmingham currently being the exception. He also dismissed claims of widespread issues as "categorically untrue", suggesting they originated from a disgruntled former employee.
It is understood that following the video, Environmental Health Officers inspected the Bullring site. Officers were reportedly satisfied that there was no contamination risk to customers and that the pest situation was under control.
The Bullring shopping centre itself has been approached for comment on the matter.
