Restaurant Manager's 'Gobsmacking' 5-Word Reply After 'Family See Rat During Meal'

Getty Images

A family was completely shocked, and the mom even felt nauseated, when a restaurant manager allegedly reacted to their sighting of a rat. The incident happened when Lacey Price and her husband, along with their nine-year-old daughter and Lacey's parents, went out for a meal at the Rose Tree Farm in Quedgeley, Gloucestershire, on August 11. 

The unsettling moment occurred after they had finished their meal and believed they had seen a rat in the vicinity.

The rat was allegedly seen by Lacey's father, Alan Jones, racing across the floor and scuttling under the carvery counter.

Google Maps

The family was taken aback by the manager's purported answer after they had asked to view the CCTV to confirm what they had witnessed.

"We sat down, the meals came out absolutely fine. We got to finish our meals, had a few drinks between us, and the pub was ready to close. Suddenly my dad said 'Did you see that?' I saw something out of the corner of my eye but my dad said he saw a rat," said Lacey.

"He was so determined that he had seen a rat that he asked me to go to the manager and ask if the manager could show us the CCTV of the carvery area. I went up to the manager and asked if he could look at the CCTV as [my dad] seems to think he saw a rat run up the floor and under the food counter. The manager replied 'No he would have done'. I was gobsmacked. I thought I was hearing things. He said 'We have had four rats. We got three but there's one still running around and we can't just catch him."

Since then, the Rose Tree Farm staff has repeatedly denied having said this, but they have blamed a rodent problem on a neighboring building site and said they are working with pest control specialists and Environmental Health to fix it. 

After eating a carvery, Lacey's mother Tina rushed to the bathroom and promptly puked. Lacey described this to Gloucestershire Live.

Lacey added: "I am 37 years old and I have never witnessed something like this and I am shocked the manager admitted it. I would have been more comfortable if he said I was seeing things. I was shocked and I am gobsmacked they are still open."

The next day, Lacey informed Gloucester City Council's Environmental Health about the incident, and they have since stated they will go to the Rudloe Drive location.

A spokesperson for Rose Tree Farm said: "We are aware of an issue in the grounds in close proximity to our premises and want to reassure customers that we are taking this matter extremely seriously and have followed the correct procedures in order to protect our business. We have conducted a comprehensive investigation and are working with pest control experts and our local Environmental Health Officer to ensure we provide safeguarding for our business and continue to hold our high food hygiene rating of '5' (Very Good)."

After the event, a Gloucester City Council representative reportedly said: "We are aware of this complaint and we have arranged for an environmental health officer to visit the premises."

The events that unfolded at the Rose Tree Farm restaurant in Gloucestershire serve as a compelling reminder of the far-reaching consequences of lapses in hygiene and pest control within food establishments. Beyond its immediate impact on patrons, such incidents have the potential to reverberate through an establishment's reputation, impacting its credibility and viability. 

Consumers, equipped with the power to hold businesses accountable, play a pivotal role in upholding and demanding the highest standards of food safety and hygiene. As regulatory bodies respond to incidents, the incident underscores the importance of cooperation and collaboration between establishments and authorities in maintaining public trust.