Tesco pest problem ‘fully resolved’ as bakery re-opens

A “complex pest issue” at Tesco’s Kirkwall store has been “fully resolved,” according to the supermarket giant.

The bakery at the Pickaquoy Road outlet has re-opened three weeks after its closure, and a “deep clean” has been carried out at the store — after weeks of speculation on the activities of a resident rat.

A Tesco spokesman said: “We set ourselves the highest store standards, and take the safety of our customers, colleagues and food in our stores extremely seriously.

“A deep clean has been completed, and after working with specialists, we are confident that the issue has now been fully resolved.

“We thank Orkney Islands Council environmental health officers for supporting store management, and we have worked closely with them throughout and followed any advice given, and apologise for the inconvenience to customers whilst this was resolved.”

Tesco had earlier remained tight-lipped on the issue, though Orkney Islands Council confirmed that no enforcement action from environmental health was required.

Tesco has said this was a “complex issue” but, along with environmental health, were confident that the pest problem had been contained, primarily in non-food areas of the store.

Now, the bakery is back open for business as usual, and Tesco is satisfied that the pest activity is at an end.