Newsreader: In today’s special feature, our reporter will be visiting Craven’s restaurant. Craven’s restaurant was recently closed following allegations of pest infestation by customers in the area. It also followed a damning report by Mr Spensor, a local environmental health officer.

A customer in the area found more than she expected when she bought a sandwich from Craven’s restaurant.

Newsreader: We now cross live to Craven’s restaurant where our reporter is about to interview kitchen staff.

Reporter: Thank you Ted. We are outside Craven’s restaurant that was recently closed following a report of pest infestation by customers and following the report by Mr Spensor, a local environmental health officer. Unfortunately, the owner of the premises is on holiday in Benidorm but we are going to speak to one of the kitchen staff. So follow me Ted. Let’s go inside.

Reporter: Hello, good afternoon to you. You’re live on Leeds Local. Can you tell the viewers your name please?

Janice: Are we on the telly?

Reporter: Yes, we’re on the telly. Can you tell the viewers your name please?

Janice: Janice!

Reporter: Thank you Janice. I understand that your restaurant was recently closed following a customer who found a very large fly in her sandwich. Is this true?

Janice: Yes.

Reporter: And did you make that sandwich?

Janice: No! No! I was on break.

Reporter: You was on break? Do you know who made the sandwich?

Janice: I don’t know!

Reporter: Did you see the fly?

Janice: No!

Reporter: And can you tell the viewers, I understand you’ve recently been on some training. Is this true?

Janice: Yes, I got a certificate.

Reporter: And this is your certificate?

Janice: Yes.

Reporter I see this is a certificate for attending training in pest control. And what did that training involve?

Janice: We looked at mice, rats, cockroaches and other bugs.

Reporter: Other bugs? Okay. Oh, sorry, hold on, yes Ted?

Newsreader: Sorry to interrupt you there Joe. We are now going to cross live to Mr Spensor, the local environmental health officer, who recently inspected and closed Craven’s restaurant.

Mr Spensor: Hello Thank you.

Newsreader: Hello Mr Spensor. You’re live on Leeds Local. I understand that you recently recommended the closure of Craven’s restaurant following your inspection. One of our reporters is visiting Craven’s restaurant at the moment. Can you comment?

Mr Spensor: Yes, Yes. That restaurant had a lot of health problems. I think it needs a lot of work before it can reopen. Pest infestation is always found where there is a lack of proper food control.

Newsreader: Thank you Mr Spensor. Can you tell our viewers something about the different types of pests we might find in our kitchen?

Mr Spensor: Yes, certainly. Flies cause the biggest threat. They live off waste food. They live off faeces. They pick up harmful bacteria from these sources. They then enter a kitchen and may land on food about to be eaten by humans. Another major cause of concern is rats and cockroaches. They live in sewers and they may enter a kitchen in search of warmth and food.

Newsreader: So are there any other types of pests?

Mr Spensor: Yes, there are many other types of pests which might enter a kitchen and contaminate food. These include wasps, moths, ants, birds, cats and even dogs. Sometimes foxes have been known to enter a kitchen in search of waste food.

Newsreader: Thank you Mr Spensor, we shall come back to you shortly. Let’s cross now live to Joe and Janice in Craven’s restaurant.

Reporter: You’re now back live on Leeds Local. Tell us Janice, when you went on this pest-training what did you learn to help reduce the risk of pest infestation?

Janice: I was learning about cleaning. How you should always keep things clean. And you should always turn taps off. And bins should always have lids. This is the deboxing area. And over here … this is the preparation area. We prepare food here and you should always clean as you go.

Reporter: Clean as you go? What does that mean Jancie? Can you tell our viewers?

Janice: Yes. Clean as you go. It means I clean all areas and spillages as I am working. When food is delivered, it should be checked it doesn’t have any pests and it should be put away straightaway and not left outside.

Reporter: Thank you Janice. And what about food that is out of date?

Janice: You should always throw away food that is out of date and food should be stored in pest proof containers with lids.

Reporter: Pest proof? What does that mean?

Janice: A container that can’t be chewed.

Reporter: I see. And can you give us an example of a container that can be chewed.

Janice: Erm, yes. Like this cereal box here.

Reporter: What chewed that?

Janice: I don’t know. Mouse? Rat?

Reporter: okay, is there anything else Janice the viewers should know?

Janice: Yes. Never leave food out overnight and never leave food waste in the kitchen overnight.

Reporter: Hold on, that’s Ted. Hold there Janice. Yes Ted, go ahead.

Newsreader: Hold it there Joe, that’s very interesting. We’re going across now live to Mr Spensor. Tell me Mr Spensor, how should a restaurant ensure it stays pest free?

Mr Spensor: Yes, thank you. There are many signs to look for. If I may I have a checklist which I use myself when inspecting premises. You should for example check storage rooms. You should check behind equipment and waste storage areas. You should look for signs of infestation which might include such things as strange smells, you might find droppings, you might find insect eggs, live or dead insects, you should look for chewed boxes, scratching sounds for example, even gnawing sounds, fur is another example of infestation. And also look for any types of nesting material.

Newsreader: Thank you Mr Spensor. That’s very, very interesting. Thank you for your time. We’re going back now live on Leeds Local to Joe and Janice in Craven’s restaurant.

Reporter: Yes, thank you Ted. We’re back at Craven’s restaurant which was recently closed following a report by Mr Spensor, as we have just heard from, and following a finding of a very large fly in a sandwich. We’re back here with Janice in Craven’s restaurant. Hello Janice. Now you recently went on training I understand. Can you tell us a little bit more about that training and how to get rid of unwanted pests?

Janice: Well, there are physical ways such as electric fly killers.

Reporter: An electric fly-killer. Does this kitchen have an electric fly killer?

Janice: No. The boss has ordered one.

Reporter: Are there any other physical ways of killing pests?

Janice: You can use sticky fly tape paper to catch insects. You can use a net to catch birds.

Reporter: A net to catch birds. Is there anything else?

Janice: Yes. You could have a mouse-trap.

Reporter: A mouse-trap. How would you use this mouse-trap? Can you model it for our viewers?

Janice: Yes. No problem.

Reporter: Okay Janice. You have shown us this box. This cereal box. A common box that might be found in any house. Can you tell us some more about why you have chosen this box.

Janice: It’s because the box has been chewed.

Reporter: And what might have chewed this?

Janice: It could be a mouse or a rat.

Reporter: So something like a fly or a cockroach couldn’t chew this.

Janice: Erm. No, no.

Reporter: And you said you had a mousetrap.

Janice: Yes, I’ll just set the mousetrap up now.

Reporter: Okay, I think I saw the mouse. And so you’ve put a piece of bread on the trap to catch the mouse. Let’s see if the mouse comes out.

I think the mouse is dead Janice. Janice is going to show us how to kill a fly using chemical means of control. Janice?

Janice: I’m using fly spray Joe.

Reporter: Okay Janice. And how do you use fly spray?

Janice: I can squirt the fly. And it will fall to the floor. But you have to be very careful around food Joe?

Reporter: Why’s that then Janice?

Janice: Because the spray will get onto the food.

Reporter: And perhaps a customer might eat this food?

Janice: That’s right Joe.

Reporter: Are there any other mean of killing flies, rather than chemical?

Janice: Yes, I’ve got a newspaper here. And we can try and get it.

Reporter: That’s gonna hurt Janice. Okay. Are there any other means of control?

Janice: I can try and catch it.

Reporter: Okay Janice. And how will you catch this fly?

Janice: I can put it in a container. Then I can take it outside Joe.

Reporter: Well done Janice. Thank you.

Janice: Now, talking about chemical control and physical control, how might you get rid of a mouse using chemical means of control?

Janice: You can use some pellets in a tray Joe.

Reporter: Pellets? And will you show us how to kill a mouse with pellets?

Janice: Yes.

Reporter: This will be interesting.

Janice: So this is rat and mouse poison. I’ll put it down here and I’ll wait for the mouse to come and eat it.

Reporter: Well, that’s very interesting Janice. It looks like the training has really paid.

Janice: Yes, thanks Joe.

Reporter: And are hoping to re-open the kitchen soon?

Janice: I hope so, yes.

Reporter: Okay. Thank you. That’s been very interesting. I’m sure you’ll agree. Now it’s back to Ted in the studio. Thank you Ted.

Newsreader: Thank you Joe and thank you Janice. Remember, if in doubt you should contact your local health authority and seek the advice of an expert pest infestation operator … And here’s Trudy with the weather.