The historic Warrington Hotel in Maida Vale has been dramatically closed by Westminster City Council over “a serious mice and cockroach infestation.”

%image(15181804, type="article-full", alt="The notice outside the Warrington Hotel closing it due to "a serious mice and cockroach infestation," lack of hot water and poor structural repair causing hygiene issues. Picture: Sean Browne")

A notice went up in the window of the pub and five-bedroom hotel in Warrington Crescent on Thursday, saying it could not be used for "any food business."

It said the council believed the health risk condition was severe enough to justify the move. There was a "lack of hot water" at the hotel, it said. It added that "dirty conditions and poor structural repair" had led to a "significant risk of food contamination."

An "A-frame" board had since been put outside saying the hotel and pub was closed "due to circumstances beyond our control."

The Victorian-era venue is run by Golden Brick Pubs Ltd.

A spokesperson for the company said: "The Warrington Hotel in Maida Vale is a business we are very proud of and we have a significant investment plan outlined, that will guarantee it continues to be fit for purpose for the next 100 years.

"We work closely with our contractors and suppliers to always ensure that our business is compliant and ready to receive the 100's of people that pass through our doors each week. Whenever we have an issue we have a rigorous procedure in place to ensure that issues can be addressed as soon as possible and we have followed that process.

"We very much look forward to welcoming everyone back to The Warrington and continuing to be an integral part of the local community."

A staff member at the pub told this newspaper it was hoping to reopen this afternoon or tomorrow morning once hot water was in place.

Westminster City Council has been contacted for comment.