The operator of a Bicester hotel and restaurant has been ordered to pay a total of £18,500 for a string of food hygiene offences including a rat infestation.
Published: Wednesday, 23rd July 2025
After being investigated by Cherwell District Council, G&D Operations Ltd was found guilty of eight food hygiene offences at The Kings Arms Hotel, Bicester, at a hearing which took place in March. A sentencing hearing took place at Oxford Magistrates Court on Tuesday, 22 July.
The magistrate ordered the business to pay a fine of £8,500, £8,000 costs, and £2,000 victim surcharges. The offences date back to 2023 and relate to cleanliness, the handling of food, and a failure to control pest activity in the kitchen.
Councillor Rob Parkinson, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities, said: “We always look to work with businesses and support them in complying with the law. But in view of the imminent risk posed by a rat infestation, we were forced to close this kitchen for a period of time until proper pest control measures were put in place.
“Rat infestations pose a very serious health risk to the public, including salmonella, and G&D is a large company which operates food businesses in other parts of the country. This prosecution is good news for people wanting to enjoy a well-prepared meal out in Bicester, and I am glad to hear that standards at The Kings Arms have improved as a result of the council’s actions.”
The council’s enforcement work at the business started with an unannounced visit made in response to a complaint from a member of the public. Officers found rat droppings in areas where food was being prepared.
As well as evidence of the rat infestation, officers also found that the kitchen was not being kept clean, staff were not properly trained, and pest control and food safety procedures were not being properly followed.
Officers made a number of follow-up visits to the business to assess its progress in making the kitchen safe, before a decision was made to prosecute.
Following the council’s enforcement action and an inspection on 1 July, the business currently has a food hygiene rating of 4, demonstrating good food hygiene and safety; good structure and cleaning; and satisfactory confidence in management.