“There are no rats.” (There were.)

EHO Story 📩

Back when I was working in local government, I closed a food business due to a severe rat infestation.

This wasn’t a borderline case.
There were droppings across the premises.
Rats had gnawed clean through the back door.
It was clear, obvious, and, to quote the formal wording: “an imminent risk to the health of the public.”

In most cases, when a business reaches this stage, there’s some acceptance.
Even if it’s hard to hear, owners usually realise something has to change.
They bring in pest control, clean up, and work towards getting reopened

But not this time.

This particular owner denied everything.
Refused to accept there was a problem.
Argued at every stage.
And then went public, posting on social media, naming me personally, accusing me of targeting his business and “shutting him down for no reason.”

At the time, it was tough.
But the truth was simple: the situation was serious, and it had to be dealt with.

 

🐀 Food Safety Tip: Denial won’t fix a pest problem

✔️ If there’s evidence of rats, you need to act immediately: Droppings, gnaw marks, smell, noise. One sign is enough to start urgent action.

✔️ Your structure is your first defence: Gaps, damage, and poor structural maintenance give pests an open invitation.

✔️ Taking it personally never helps: EHOs aren’t trying to shut you down. They’re trying to protect the public and help you get back open safely.

The Serious Lesson

There’s a myth that EHOs are out to catch businesses out.

We’re not.

Most of us genuinely want to see businesses succeed, but safely.

If we find a problem, the best outcome is that you work with us to fix it. That you listen, ask questions, get it sorted and reopen with better systems in place.

Hopefully you understand, there are situations we can’t ignore.

When the public’s at risk, we’re there to protect them first.
That might mean closing a business. Not to punish, but to prevent harm.

The smart operators? They don’t take it personally.
They treat it as a wake-up call, take control, and come back stronger.

The defensive ones? They dig in, point fingers, and waste valuable time that could be spent solving the problem.

So here’s the real takeaway:
 

Work with your EHO, not against them.
We’re not obstacles, we’re allies.
And the sooner we’re on the same side, the sooner you get back to running a business you’re proud of.

Ever had to handle a difficult inspection or deal with a situation where denial got in the way of progress?