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Original poster

To tell you not to go to Costa coffee in the Trafford centre

108 replies

CharityBurbag · 15/06/2024 09:44

We decided to stop for a little coffee pick me up in the Costa coffee in next at the Trafford centre yesterday.

Mum went to order and I got a table. Every table was covered in cups and plates and used tissues. I managed to find a fairly clean one and sat down.

To be clear it was open!

Then I noticed a lot of staff on the left hand side of the shop all looking at something under one of the booths and trying to get sorting into a cup.

I heard them say 'I don't think that's a mouse I think that's a rat I saw it on one of the tables back there and then it ran under here' and then they closed the coffee shop to try and catch the rat

They must have managed to catch it as it was back open and serving food about an hour later 🤢

Just go somewhere else if you find yourself in next and fancy a coffee!

Yes we were being unreasonable to go into a Costa inside a next and expect a good coffee but we didn't expect it to come with a side of large mouse / rat

OP posts:
Floorbard · 15/06/2024 14:20

NoSnowdrop · 15/06/2024 10:54

I’d advise anyone against going to Costa anyway as they promote mutilation of healthy young women and they’re misogynistic. Plus their coffee is fucking rank.

I assume this hand-wringing is about their advert with the picture of the trans man? Grow up.

Boogiemam · 15/06/2024 14:11

A singular rat isn't really cause for histrionics. If the place HAD rats it would be infested and you'd see more than one, a singular rat has probably wandered in and they caught it, closed and likely cleaned all the surfaces then reopened. Ditto a mouse.

Panicstations2024 · 15/06/2024 13:55

Having initially thought I need to burn down the Trafford Centre, I now might have to burn the world, which seems extreme but I haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate them 😭😭😭😭

MonsteraMama · 15/06/2024 13:49

Lol sorry to break it to you OP but there are rats fucking everywhere and most of the coffee shops and eateries you've been to in your life, especially in cities, will at some point have also hosted a rodent or two. Even the ones with the 5* hygiene ratings.

lap90 · 15/06/2024 13:45

Best not go out anywhere. They are everywhere.
I work in Central London and had a chat with the pest control guy who comes to our offices - they have seen it all.

LakeTiticaca · 15/06/2024 13:39

PracticallyYesterday · 15/06/2024 13:32

So do cats but most people don't panic when they see a cat.

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Cats are less likely to enter food establishments, nibble through food ingredients and them shit everywhere.
I've worked in supermarkets, cafe and takeaways and the only time a cat has have ever entered a premises was a neighbours cat who fancied a stroke and a bit of fuss 😀

PracticallyYesterday · 15/06/2024 13:32

LakeTiticaca · 15/06/2024 13:30

Sad to say but they aren't harmless. They can carry some very nasty diseases and you certainly wouldn't want to be bitten by one 🤢

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So do cats but most people don't panic when they see a cat.

LakeTiticaca · 15/06/2024 13:30

PracticallyYesterday · 15/06/2024 13:28

Poor rat - just minding its own business and doing its rat stuff, and people get up in arms about it. It's harmless!

Sad to say but they aren't harmless. They can carry some very nasty diseases and you certainly wouldn't want to be bitten by one 🤢

PracticallyYesterday · 15/06/2024 13:28

Poor rat - just minding its own business and doing its rat stuff, and people get up in arms about it. It's harmless!

JLT24 · 15/06/2024 13:26

I opened the door of Nandos Euston last week and a mouse ran out and over my feet 😂 had to order my Fino Pitta though. Mice/Rats are everywhere we just don’t usually see them.

OneTC · 15/06/2024 13:26

In our business we take all possible steps but we're in London by the Thames, we have no control over what happens outside, or even next door in the same building so sometimes there's mice.

We have a pest control contract, we follow all advice and regularly deep clean, this is all you can do as a business and all you can hope for as a customer. What the HSE mostly looks at, rather than the actual presence of vermin, is what you're doing about them.

BobbyBiscuits · 15/06/2024 13:19

That is gross. It's true that rats are all around where there's food. But to hear them talking about one running over the tables. And trying to catch it?! Surely that's not part of their training, it'd a diseased wild animal fgs, you're not meant to be a bloody rat catcher, you're a barista!
I saw a mouse in KFC once and I couldn't use the chain at all for several years. I don't eat it now but mainly cos I don't like the taste now.
The pest issue probably goes beyond that one establishment though. I guess all you can do is check reviews and hygiene ratings.

FanofLeaves · 15/06/2024 13:11

This is probably more likely to make me go to Costa, their coffee is garbage and their prices are ridiculous 😂

It was probably a large mouse tbh. you couldn’t catch a live rat with all its faculties in a coffee cup.

LakeTiticaca · 15/06/2024 13:08

The manager should have closed the shop immediately and called in the pest control. Them the shop should be deep cleaned before reopening. You should report to environmental health

KrisAkabusi · 15/06/2024 11:51

YABU. They shut the shop while they dealt with the problem.

ThinWomansBrain · 15/06/2024 11:49

you were being unreasonable to go into a Costa inside a next and expect a good coffee.
with or without a rat.
inside a next or not.

Valeriekat · 15/06/2024 11:49

There shouldn't be rats in places where you eat.

SummerSnowstorm · 15/06/2024 11:48

Valeriekat · 15/06/2024 11:46

If there is an infestation the store needs to be closed. If you see one there are many more nearby.

There will also be rat faeces and urine.

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It takes weeks to confirm they're properly cleared, and can take multiple attempts to even be successful. Stores always open when they have them and just get rentokill etc in after hours.
If places shut every time a new one got in they'd barely be open.

SummerSnowstorm · 15/06/2024 11:47

They're in all shopping centers and grocery stores at times. Traps fail and they find new ways in.
The fact they couldn't tell if it was a mouse or rat means it was likely an tiny one. Proper rats are huge especially if eating in a food court!

Valeriekat · 15/06/2024 11:46

No3387 · 15/06/2024 09:53

It didn't 'come with a side of rat' though.

They did the right thing, closed the store and got the issue sorted.

There are rats all over the Trafford centre, at all times, I used to work there.

If there is an infestation the store needs to be closed. If you see one there are many more nearby.

There will also be rat faeces and urine.

Rebusmyfire · 15/06/2024 11:46

Loads of rats in shopping malls especially the food courts - it's warm, cosy and has a running buffet for them.

AhBiscuits · 15/06/2024 11:41

I saw one in Bristol Cabot Circus Starbucks. It's a common problem.

AmelieTaylor · 15/06/2024 11:29

@KobraChick @CharityBurbag

this is why it's unfair to single out one place. These centres are rife with them, it's not down to Costa.

it's also what makes me laugh when people get all airated over kids shoes in supermarket trollies. there are rats, foxes, birds in/on them all the time, they're not clean.

Abitorangelooking · 15/06/2024 11:25

Crumpleton · 15/06/2024 09:57

While it's not pleasant at least they were trying to do some thing to resolve the situation.

Then I noticed a lot of staff on the left hand side of the shop all looking at something under one of the booths and trying to get sorting into a cup.

Unless I'm misunderstanding your comment it must be pretty hard to catch a mouse/rat using a cup, I'd imagine it wouldn't hang around, it would scurry off.

A healthy mouse/ rat sure. One with internal bleeding as it’s been feeding at the bait station is much slower and less likely to flee. We had an issue at work and once the poison went down they were much more visible for a week or so.

lapelouseestaurepose · 15/06/2024 11:21

KobraChick · 15/06/2024 11:10

OMG I'm always in there when I shop there.I would seriously die if I seen that.Time to find a new pit stop.

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No, you wouldn't