A trendy restaurant has been shut down after health inspectors mouse dropping on salad onions.

Diners eating at Carmina and Lancelot in Wigmore Street tucked into a fusion of French, Italian and Spanish food served by director Camelia Olariu, from Kensington .

But hygiene inspectors from Westminster Council raided the hipster brasserie on January 13 and found it was infested with mice and closed it down.

It reopened nine days later but £15,000 losses incurred during its enforced closure meant it had now “effectively ceased to trade”.

There were droppings on a window ledge in the bar area all over the basement kitchen, inside frying pans, around the oven and on the griddle.

The rodents had even managed to leave faeces inside plastic containers containing dates, garlic, and cous cous.

Prosecutor Kirsty Panton told Westminster Magistrates' Court : “There were fruit flies in the kitchen and the kitchen cleaning standard was extremely poor.

“Inside a container were onions and the inspector noticed a mouse dropping.

“She asked what they were used for and Ms Olariu said they were put in salad.

“Inside the fridge there was some milk that was past its use by date. The officer asked if she knew what the use by date meant. Ms Olariu opened the bottle, smelt the milk inside and said ‘Well it’s still OK’.”

The inspector was also told there was one wash basin to wash everything.

'Pictures speak for themselves'

The restaurant also doubled as a beauty salon, run by celebrity stylist Lance Lowe. He went into business with Olariu, from Askew Road, in 2011, working in the the hair and beauty salon below the dining room.

At court on February 4 Olariu and Carmina and Lancelot both admitted having inadequate pest control procedures, failing to keep the food premises clean and in good repair, failing to effectively clean and disinfect fittings and equipment, and failing to protect food from contamination.

Technically it is still active but Olariu, 47, is said to have ‘lost her living’, and is relying on friends to support her.

District Judge Quentin Purdy said pubic health had been jeopardised by the condition of the restaurant.

He hit Olariu and Carmina and Lancelot a total of £8,541.67 in fines and costs.

Carmina and Lancelot was fined £1,000 for each charge and must pay £1421.67 prosecution costs.

Olariu was fined £500 for each charge, and must pay £1,000 prosecution costs and a £120 victim surcharge.

A Westminster City Council spokesperson said afterwards: “It is disappointing that beneath the respectable veneer of this venue lurked such poor food hygiene standards.

"The pictures speak for themselves and despite our offers of support to help improve standards, Carmina & Lancelot has since closed down and ceased trading.”