Five stars is the highest rating in the hygiene rating awarded to almost all Premier League clubs. The record champions, of all clubs, are out of line.
25.12.2024, 08:40
dpa
Things are not going well for Manchester United in sporting terms, and now the English football record champions also have an animal problem. The Old Trafford stadium is plagued by a plague of mice - with consequences for the rating of the catering.
Food inspectors discovered evidence of mice in company suites on the first floor and in a food kiosk in a hall, as reported by the "Daily Mail" newspaper. As a result, they lowered the hygiene rating for stadium catering to two stars. Most Premier League clubs hold the maximum of five stars.
There are many reasons for the plague of mice. The stadium, originally built in 1910, is located between a canal and a railroad line, where rodents particularly like to be. Every home game is attended by 74,000 people, who leave a lot of garbage behind. The problem often increases in winter because the mice look for warmer and more sheltered places.
Several checks per week
"Manchester United uses a strict pest control system throughout the Old Trafford stadium," the club told the newspaper. There are several checks per week. A spokesman for the local council said the authority was working closely with the club to make any necessary improvements.
This is not the first time that the stadium catering has been rated poorly. After guests were served undercooked chicken at a private company event, the hygiene rating was even lowered to one star. By the time of the most recent inspection, the rating had risen again to four stars - then the mice were discovered.
