The owner of Kitchen Garden Cafe in Birmingham has revealed how her cafe recovered quickly after being closed and fined for a mice infestation last year—but a council computer glitch meant customers couldn’t see its new top Food Hygiene Rating for months.
Located on trendy York Road in Kings Heath, the beloved community cafe was fined nearly £3,000 and slapped with a zero Food Hygiene Rating in spring 2025 after inspectors found mouse droppings throughout the premises. The setback was devastating for owner Tracey Fletcher, who acted swiftly to turn things around.
By May 2025, the cafe had improved its rating to four stars, followed by a top score of five stars in August. However, due to an administrative mix-up within Birmingham City Council’s system during a business name change—from ‘Kitchen Garden Cafe’ to ‘Kitchen Garden’—the upgraded rating wasn’t published online. The Food Standards Agency website showed only the original zero rating, misleading customers for months.
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Council officials explained that both business entities remained active under the same address in their database. When ‘Kitchen Garden Cafe’ was removed around January 10, only the outdated zero rating under ‘Kitchen Garden’ remained visible online. The issue was only rectified after BirminghamLive’s inquiry last week.
Tracey Fletcher expressed how upsetting the delay was despite her team’s tireless efforts to raise standards. “We made the changes last year, and I’m quite devastated it took so long to update online. We worked really hard to bring the standards up to a really high level,” she said.
She acknowledged the historic building’s challenges, explaining that the single-skin brick structure—once a blacksmith’s workshop—was prone to pest problems, especially after a car damaged the back wall, causing hidden cracks.
“After the zero rating, we acted immediately,” Tracey said. “I sealed every hole by hand—mice can slip through pencil-sized gaps, so we checked every pipe and crevice. Since then, I’ve spent countless nights inspecting for any vulnerable spots.”
Despite not owning the building and facing costly repairs, she remains committed to maintaining high hygiene standards. Customers have remained supportive, appreciating the clean and welcoming atmosphere she’s cultivated.
More than a cafe, Kitchen Garden serves as a vibrant community hub. It hosts workshops, local art exhibitions, live music nights, gardening events, poetry and storytelling sessions, and supports groups such as Kings Heath Action Against Racism. The cafe also offers space for weddings and has been a cherished venue for nearly 20 years.
“It’s heartbreaking the hygiene rating issue affected our reputation because we’re at the heart of the Kings Heath community,” Tracey added. “But our standards are now excellent, and that’s shown on the Food Standards Agency website.”