Pub 'kept serving food' despite 'incontinent' rats scurrying around kitchen

dailystar.co.uk:

pub regulars say they saw a rat scurrying in and out of glasses at their local – and that the landlord has barred them for complaining about it."They carried on serving food for seven days,” one customer said. “Rats were in and out of glasses and are incontinent."They added that, along with a couple of other regulars, they were told they were no longer welcome in the pub after speaking about the rat issue, claiming that the publicans had just tried to “cover things up”. READ MORE: More than 70% of UK pubs could close this winter over 'grave' cost of living uncertaintyDebbie and Chris Hartley, the owners of Highwayman pub in Dobwalls, Cornwall, say it’s not unusual for rodents and other vermin to find their way into rural premises and that they took steps to remedy the problem as soon as they became aware of it.The Hartleys stressed that they have not not barred anyone in relations to the rat incident.

In a statement, they told Cornwall Live: "The Highwayman is a traditional village pub in a rural area and, as such, like many rural premises, we do very occasionally encounter pests in or around the building, and especially at times of extreme weather when wild animals are seeking shelter, food or water. "Like most responsible food and drink establishments, The Highwayman permanently employs the services of a professional pest control contractor to control pests in the area and prevent serious problem occurring.