Pest Control .co.uk

The Bullring Indoor Market got hit with a double whammy of pests this week, with cockroaches and mouse droppings being found at the site.  Originally planning to only close the market for a day to deal with the problem, the council has now revealed that it will be closed for three days.  This represents a potentially devastating loss of revenue to stall owners inside the market in these tough economic times.

Birmingham’s Bullring Indoor Market, before the infestations

To get rid of the menace they are carrying out what is said to be “deep cleaning,” which involves fumigation by pest controllers.  Getting rid of cockroaches is a tricky business, they are very resilient and are excellent hiders.  Mice are also tough to find and remove.  In fact the head of markets at the site stated that dealing with mice was an ongoing problem not just for them but for all food selling businesses that operate in a large space.  It was in fact only when cockroaches were found, the first time they have been found at the site apparently, that it was closed for cleaning.  Reading between the lines here from what he has said, it sounds as if they knew of the presence of mice at the site but were willing to deal with that while the market remained open.  The market closure only occurred once cockroaches were also found.

Really though, although it might be unavoidable in a place that size, mice should be treated seriously as well.  They can carry diseases and are capable of infecting foodstuffs just like any other rodent.  It is claimed that pest controllers came to visit every two months, and that was probably to deal with the mouse problem as well as to check for other pest issues.  In any environment, however, the best offence against pests is actually a good defence, keeping the area clean and hygienic.  If there are no scraps of food to feed on, mice will not be in evidence.  A place that size though, keeping track of all bits of food all the time is extremely difficult.

Details on the extent of the infestation have not been revealed, however considering the size of the market it will be difficult to deal with.  Once a place has been fumigated of course, it has to be left for a certain amount of time as it is not safe for humans either.  This is most likely why the initial one day closure was extended to three days, at which point hopefully they will have been successful with their efforts otherwise the market will have to be closed for longer still.

As for the cockroaches, it is claimed that they were brought in along with the cardboard boxes the fruit and vegetables arrive in.  Whether this was the true cause or they are just saying so that a solution can be given, meaning that people don’t have to worry about it anymore, is unclear.  It is now going to be policy to transfer fruit and vegetables into plastic boxes before they enter the market.

Tags: Birmingham, cockroaches, council, fumigation, market, mice, pest control

Written by Paul Simmons

Paul has been working in the pest control field for 6 years and enjoys writing about contemporary events relating to pest problems and solutions in the UK