UK: Cockroaches in kitchen force closure of Shirdi Saibaba temple

India Sep 23, 2025

The Shirdi Saibaba Temple kitchen on West Street, Reading, had to shut its doors after a serious cockroach infestation was found in cooking pots and storage areas.
The council called it an "imminent risk to health" and immediately closed the kitchen, destroying any contaminated food.

Kitchen will remain shut until deep cleaning is done

On September 11, 2025, the local court agreed with the emergency closure and said the kitchen will stay shut until all pests are gone and a deep clean is done.
The council is set to do regular checks to make sure things are safe before reopening.
Rachel Eden from the council stressed that keeping high hygiene standards matters for everyone's safety—and the council will not allow reopening until it is satisfied that the risk to health is no longer present.