"Cockroach activity" forces market to close in Sheffield

On Friday June 26, the council decided to close Moor Market to “protect public health” after identifying a “pest issue affecting parts of the market, including food businesses”.

In a statement made last Friday, traders were expected to “carry out voluntary deep cleaning within their own units” and communal areas will have undergone “extensive cleaning and treatment”, according to the council.

Richard Eyre, Director of Street Scene and Regulations at Sheffield City Council, said that closing the market was “a precautionary but necessary step”.

"Acting quickly is particularly important given the current period of extreme heat due to unprecedented weather, which creates conditions where pests can spread more rapidly”, Mr Eyre said.

“Taking decisive action now is the most effective way to contain the issue and protect both businesses and the public.”

Mr Eyre said the council recognised that the market’s closure would have “a significant impact on traders”.

“We would like to thank them for their cooperation so far and their support in carrying out deep cleaning work, which is essential to enabling the market to reopen safely”, he added.

“It has yet to be announced when Moor Market will reopen and whether the pest issue has been resolved.

Coun Mark Rusling, Chair of the Environmental Services and Regulation Committee at Sheffield City Council, said in a statement released on Monday evening: “We can confirm that Moor Market will remain closed to the public on Tuesday 30 June and Wednesday 1 July while extensive pest control, cleaning and monitoring work continues across the building.

Since the market closed on Friday, Council teams, market traders and specialist pest control contractors have been working together to carry out a comprehensive programme of treatment, deep cleaning and monitoring throughout the market. This has included repeated spray treatments, the introduction of longer-term gel treatments, replacement of monitoring equipment and intensive cleaning across trading, storage and communal areas.

The Council took the decision to close the market in order to protect public health and prevent the issue from spreading further. Acting quickly has allowed treatment and cleaning work to be carried out across the whole building and in areas that would not have been accessible while the market remained open.

This was necessary as the recent period of extreme and sustained hot weather has created conditions that can increase pest activity and make it easier for pests to move through interconnected spaces.

We would like to thank traders for the significant efforts they have made over the weekend to clean their units, storage areas and equipment. Their cooperation has been vital in supporting the treatment programme and helping to prepare the market for a safe reopening.

We recognise the disruption and uncertainty this closure is causing. Our immediate focus remains on protecting public health and ensuring the market can reopen safely. Once the situation is under control, we will work closely with traders and partners to consider what support may be available to help the market and its businesses recover and return to normal trading as quickly as possible.

At this stage, we are not able to confirm a reopening date. We are continuing to work closely with pest control specialists and other partners, and we will provide a further update as soon as more information is available.”