How Cockroaches Move Through the City's Food Premises
Smithfield's market-area kitchens
Smithfield's historic market buildings sit alongside a dense run of restaurant and food-outlet kitchens, and cockroaches move between them along shared waste routes and warm pipework that predates most of the current tenants.
Aldgate's cellars and waste stores
Around Aldgate, cellars and shared waste stores beneath food premises give cockroaches cover close to a reliable food source, and a sighting in one unit is often worth flagging to the building's neighbouring occupiers as well.
Signs to Look For
- Cockroaches seen at night in kitchens or bathrooms, especially around pipework
- A musty, oily smell in cupboards or behind appliances
- Small dark droppings resembling coffee grounds or pepper
- Shed skins or small egg cases in cracks and crevices
- Smear marks along regularly used routes near warmth and water
Clearing Cockroaches for Good in the City
Where several food premises share a building, getting neighbouring units on board usually speeds things up.
