London’s Infested: get used to it…

SallyB2
By SallyB2 Last edited 196 months ago
London’s Infested: get used to it…
1311.roach.jpg

Maybe it’s because we are Londoners, but Londonist is mightily proud of London in nearly every sense. Even when things get muxed up, or bad stuff happens, the capital shoulders the problem and just gets on with its largely tickety-boo urban grind.

Take bugs and rodents for example. They are pretty much part of life in any old-ish city, and it is a well known urban-not-so-mythical-myth that we are never more than a few feet away from a rat. Our city is under-run with lovely, slimey, dingey Victorian sewers, which are in turn overrun with vermin. This disposable-happy society of ours leaves great feasts available for even the most discerning of pests, and it is hardly surprising that they are flourishing. Rising temperatures also make London a balmier place for the sensitive bug. These things, nasty though they might be, are here to stay.

And like any other Londoner, they are of course going to want to dine out. Mice and their partners in grime have been found at some of London’s most prestigious eateries. As well as a lot of its traditionally dodgier eateries. Londonist is perplexed as to why these stories still make the news.

Clearly the public has a right to be protected from appalling breaches of hygiene, and to expect the chef to have half an idea of how to wash his hands, but there is a degree of hysteria about the whole health and hygiene business now which is hard to, er stomach. And the fines imposed on guilty establishments are out of all proportion (up to £20,000.00).

The only logical way forward for London’s authorities is to make it compulsory for all food establishments to employ the services of a pest control company, just as it is compulsory for staff to undergo hygiene training. No more Roland where he shouldn't be - it's as easy as that.

So there you go – another urban dilemma resolved by Londonist.

Cute picture from Neil T’s flickr photo stream. By the way, does anyone else think Joe’s Apartment was one of the funniest films ever?

Last Updated 13 November 2007