Camden’s Good Egg given zero hygiene rating after mouse droppings found

A London branch of Middle East restaurant the Good Egg has failed its most recent food hygiene inspection, with environmental health officers finding mouse droppings on counters.

Camden Council ordered the outlet in Camden Stables Market to urgently improve hygiene, giving the site a zero out of five rating.

Alongside the droppings in the service counter area and below a tabletop fridge, the food hygiene and food standards inspection report detailed a litany of concerns including elevated temperatures in the open top service refrigerator, a risk of cross contamination from raw and ready to eat vacuum packers being stored side by side, and raw meat stored next to cooked ready to smoke salmon in the refrigerator.

The salmon was also found to be past its use by date, cooked food was left to cool at room temperature in the kitchen – presenting ideal conditions for food poisoning, and cleaning materials were situated next to open ready to eat food products, risking food contamination.

Furthermore, Camden environmental health inspectors pointed out structural issues such as poor cleanliness, flaking paint above combi-steamers and damaged plastic food containers.

The report instructed the Good Egg to carry out measures such as additional pest control checks and treatment to combat the site’s “active pest problem”, clean behind large pieces of equipment at least twice a week and ensure that staff are fully trained in food safety management procedures.

The 70-cover outlet had previously been rapped for its hygiene standards, being rated as a two out of five just weeks after it opened in October 2023.

However, the chain’s Stoke Newington and Margate branches both scored top marks of five in their latest inspections.

The Good Egg has been contacted for comment.