Poundland bosses have been ordered to pay nearly £170,000 after Kingston’s 99p store was invaded by mice which snacked on pet food and left merchandise covered in urine.

Surrey Comet:

Representatives from the Wheatfield Way bargain shop, recently taken over by Poundland, were hauled before Croydon Crown Court last Friday, January 22.

Environmental health officers, who visited the shop five times in 2014 and 2015, found “excessive temperatures, unsafe step stools, a dirty staff kitchen, leaking pipe work and no hot water”, Kingston Council said today.

A spokesman added: “99p Stores Ltd were very slow to act on either the officer’s advice or their own pest control company.”

In the same hearing 99p Stores was fined £246,824 for separate health offences committed at its Ealing shop – bringing the total fine to £416,114 for 13 offences, which it admitted at an earlier hearing.

Surrey Comet:

The company had only recently been fined £154,000 after being taken to court by Croydon Council.

Poundland must pay the fines following its takeover of the 99p Store chain, Kingston Council said.

Councillor Cathy Roberts, cabinet member for environmental health, said: “Our regulatory enforcement team are here to protect residents and staff who work in the borough and to ensure all businesses in the borough comply with food and safety legal requirements to trade safely.

“When one business ignores basic standards and puts residents, visitors and their staff at risk, it is our duty to make sure they are brought to account.”