OXFORD Playhouse has said it dealt 'swiftly and thoroughly' with issues raised by food hygiene inspectors after they found mouse droppings in the theatre's kitchens.

Members of the city council's health team, who visited the Beaumont Street landmark in November, also brought up concerns over the general cleanliness of catering spaces.

The theatre was awarded two stars, which means 'improvement necessary'.

A report from the inspection, which looked at the kitchen, bar, cellar, and freezer store room, said: “Mouse droppings were found in the corners beneath work surfaces – it is not known if they are new or old however the general level of cleaning is old.

“You must; contact your pest control company and get them to visit today as an emergency call out.

"Provide pest proof containers for all food that isn’t in a tin or jar. Ensure that work surfaces are sanitised thoroughly before use and at the end of the day."

It also advised the theatre, which recently celebrated its' 80th birthday with a star-studded gala attended by the likes of David Tennant, Gugu Mbatha Raw, Rory Bremner and Toby Jones, to do a 'deep clean' behind equipment.

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The report went on to add: “Fill any gaps e.g. the gap to the tile below the worktop beneath the microwave and the gap around the wire above the door."

In the freezer room ‘loose electrical wires’ were noted as a concern as well as cobwebs.

The fact staff were carrying hot food down old and uneven stairs was also said to be ‘not ideal’ and inspectors called for a risk assessment to be done.

The Playhouse’s chief executive Louise Chantal said: “The Playhouse kitchen has an exemplary record for hygiene and good practice, and this unfortunate incident in November was dealt with swiftly and thoroughly.

“Following a professional deep clean of the entire kitchen, and some recommended adjustments from pest control, Oxford City Council revisited the building two weeks later and passed the kitchen as entirely fit for use.”

She added: “We now have even tougher pest control measures in place, and are confident that we have secured the kitchen from any further incidents.”

The theatre confirmed no formal inspection for a rescore has taken place yet and Oxford Playhouse still has a two-star rating.

Businesses are usually required to wait three months before they can request a new inspection by the city council's health team.

Visit oxfordplayhouse.com.