- An outbreak of cockroaches has caused a motorway service area on the M40 to be closed
- Four units at Junction Eight’s Welcome Break have been forced to cease trading
- Environmental health officials had an investigation following a complaint last month
An outbreak of cockroaches has led to a motorway service area on the M40 being closed by health officials.
Four units at the flagship Welcome Break services near Oxford were forced to close immediately, including KFC and Starbucks.
A criminal investigation into any food hygiene violations committed is ongoing at the site, which is used by thousands of drivers and their passengers every day.
South Oxfordshire County Council today described it as a ‘significant’ cockroach infestation, which has also seen The Good Breakfast and Chopstix close.
Environmental health officers carried out an emergency investigation after a member of the public complained.
Evidence of a cockroach infestation was found in the food preparation and service areas of the outlets, which posed a “significant risk of food contamination and an immediate risk to the health of customers”.
The four businesses on the site, off junction eight near Wheatley, will remain closed until officers say the health risk has been removed.
On Friday, May 31, during a hearing at Oxford Magistrates’ Court, District Judge Rana considered the evidence and statements provided by the officers and confirmed the imminent health risk on May 20 and was satisfied that the health risk remained in place.
The judge made an Emergency Sanitation Order and also awarded the full costs of just over £3,000 to South Oxfordshire County Council.
Officers are working with businesses and monitoring these and other units in the country.
Paul Fielding, Head of Housing and Environment at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “When we received the initial complaint, our Environmental Health Officers took immediate action and carried out an investigation at Welcome Break Services and served the Hygiene Emergency Stop Notice which required the temporary closure of affected businesses.
“The infestation presented a significant risk of contamination and a serious risk to public health and I am pleased that the District Judge has now approved the action taken by our officers.
“Our officers will continue to carry out regular inspections at the scene to protect public health.
“They are also working with Welcome Break to address the issue and support their efforts to reopen the affected units as soon as possible.”
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Pest experts say record numbers of cockroaches have begun to invade homes, crawling across bedroom floors and under sofas in living rooms.
The ‘bugs’ do not bite humans or cause any physical harm, but they are a health threat because they spread disease.
Britain’s mild winter and spring with high levels of rain has been perfect weather for the insects.
Swat team pest experts warn there will be a record invasion – and one infestation could set you back up to £260.
Although there are over 4,000 species of cockroach on the planet, two are the most prominent in the UK, according to Bedford-based insect extermination firm EWS Group – the Oriental Cockroach and the German Cockroach.
You may also encounter American cockroaches and brown-banded cockroaches.
In 2022, students at the University of Oxford’s Exeter College threatened a ‘rent strike’ over an infestation of ugly bugs in their bedrooms.
Students in the Cohen Quadrangle area of Oxford’s fourth oldest college were ‘disgusted and disappointed’ by a cockroach infestation in two shared kitchens and bedrooms.
Staff told newcomers that the first and second floors would be closed for a few days during newcomers’ week for maintenance work.
They added that due to an ‘unforeseen maintenance issue’ both kitchens will not be open until October 17 at the earliest – leaving up to 90 students to share a cooking space on the third floor.
Exeter College offered a 60 percent discount at the Dakota Cafe in Cohen Quadrangle and the center’s main dining hall.
When students continued to see the bugs, college bosses admitted the issue was a cockroach infestation in the first and second floor kitchen air vents.
A statement called on them to ensure that “bins are emptied frequently and no food items are left uncovered overnight.”