Court orders closure of Lampeter hotel’s bar and cellar after cockroach infestation
Court orders closure of Lampeter hotel’s bar and cellar after cockroach infestation
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Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court has issued an Emergency Prohibition Order (EPO) on The Royal Oak Hotel in Lampeter, forcing the closure of its bar and cellar areas after inspectors found a cockroach infestation.
The ruling, handed down on 19 September, confirms emergency action already taken by Ceredigion County Council’s Public Protection team following a complaint from a member of the public earlier this month.
An unannounced inspection on 8 September discovered live and dead cockroaches on monitoring boards in the bar, along with evidence of activity in the cellar. The bar and cellar were voluntarily closed at that point, although no signs of infestation were found in the hotel’s separate kitchen and café areas.
The following day, an independent pest control contractor confirmed a heavy German cockroach infestation behind the main bar. The Council subsequently issued a Hygiene Emergency Prohibition Notice (HEPN) to keep the affected areas closed. A further inspection on 16 September found cockroach activity still present in the bar and cellar, while the kitchen and café remained unaffected.
Councillor Matthew Vaux, Ceredigion Cabinet Member for Public Protection, said: “We welcome the court’s decision. Where officers find an imminent risk to health, we act without delay.
“This Order ensures the affected areas remain closed until the infestation is fully eradicated and we are satisfied that the risk to the public has been removed. We continue to work with the business and its pest control contractor to support a safe, compliant opening as soon as possible.”
Cockroaches are known to spread harmful bacteria such as Salmonella and E.coli, as well as trigger respiratory problems through allergens. Under the order, the bar and cellar must remain shut until the Council issues a certificate confirming the health risk has been eliminated.
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