Man United-themed café fined over rat infestation

A Manchester United themed café close to Old Trafford stadium has been fined after council inspectors found food gnawed by rats.

The United Café on Sir Matt Busby Way was also caught selling burgers containing gluten to an undercover inspector who had declared a gluten allergy on two occasions.

The business and its director, Sean Stokes, were fined more than £10,000 at Manchester Magistrates' Court on Friday after a prosecution by Trafford Council.

Stokes, 56, of Bury New Road in Whitefield, and Café United Ltd had pleaded guilty to breaching food safety legislation.

Trafford Council said officers from its environmental health department first visited in August 2024.

On that day inspectors found evidence of a rat infestation including gnawed potatoes found in food preparation and droppings in storage areas.

Staff had not made accurate daily checks for rats, recording the site as pest-free despite the infestation.

That was the first time a burger containing gluten was sold to an undercover officer who said they were allergic.

The café closed voluntarily for eight days to address the problem, but when undercover officers returned in November they were again served a burger containing gluten despite declaring an allergy.

On Friday, Café United Ltd was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £1,000, while Stokes was personally fined £1,048 and ordered to pay a surcharge of £419.

Rose Thompson, Trafford Council's executive member for communities and safety, said: "Visitors and residents in Trafford have the right to expect good standards of hygiene, and reliable advice on ingredients, from any food outlet that trades in our borough.

"This prosecution shows that we will not hesitate to take action where standards fall short of what is acceptable."

She said the fine was a "clear warning" to businesses that "risk putting people's health at risk".

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