Environmental health officials swiftly investigated a food outlet after videos circulated on social media that raised concerns about hygiene, the Government confirmed this afternoon.

Their inquiries came after a series of videos and a photograph were shared, reportedly of insects on kitchen surfaces and other parts of Food Hub on North Shore Road in Flatts.

Images included those of cockroaches scurrying across a floor and counters, as well as dead insects and rodents caught in a sticky trap.

The Department of Health said today that it was aware of the videos — which it was told were recorded several months ago — and conducted a full inspection at about 9pm last night but found “no evidence of rodent or cockroach activity”.

A spokeswoman added that a follow-up inspection was taking place today and that the establishment would continue to be monitored.

She said: “We understand the public’s concern — the conditions shown in the circulating video are disturbing and absolutely not acceptable in any food establishment.

“The Department of Health takes food safety very seriously.”

In a voice note that appeared to accompany the content shared on social media, a man said he worked with the eatery until February 28, when his employment was terminated for speaking out on hygiene issues.

He said concerns were consistently shared with company management but were ignored.

In a statement, Marico Thomas, the president and chief executive of Food Hub, confirmed that the business was aware of “video clips circulating on social media showing conditions inside one of our locations”.

Mr Thomas said: “We take this matter seriously. Cleanliness and food safety are fundamental to our operations and to the trust our customers place in us.

“Restaurants operate quite differently from a home kitchen.

“Food is received daily in bulk, packed in boxes and cases that have been stored in warehouses and transported through multiple stages before reaching the restaurant.

“With that process, it is not unusual for insects or rodents to be introduced through deliveries.

“Managing that risk is a normal part of operating a restaurant and it requires constant attention.

“It involves consistent cleaning, proper storage and ongoing pest control.

“When that work is done properly, issues are controlled. When it is not, problems can develop quickly.”

Mr Thomas said: “What is shown in the video is not acceptable and does not reflect how the kitchen should be operating.

“At the same time, this is the type of issue that ongoing pest control is designed to manage.

“These systems are in place to detect, treat and keep situations like this under control, and that is exactly what is being done.

“Restaurants depend on people performing consistent, hands-on work every day.

“These are demanding roles, and while staffing can be challenging, the standard does not change.

“The work must be done properly at all times.”

He went on to to say that in an environment with daily deliveries and constant activity, conditions can change quickly if standards are not maintained.

“That is why consistency and supervision are critical,” he added.

Mr Thomas — whose statement was received before that of the health department — said: “We clean and treat our locations regularly to ensure standards are met.

“As an additional measure in response to the social-media posts, we have engaged pest control and contacted the health department to inspect the location and confirm everything is where it should be.

“We also expect our team to raise concerns when something is not right, and for those concerns to be taken seriously and acted on.

“We understand that this is concerning to see. What matters is how it is handled. We address issues directly, correct them and ensure standards are maintained.

“This location has been operating since 1992 and we do not take that lightly.

“We know the responsibility that comes with that, and our customers should feel confident that this is being handled properly.”

In February, the restaurant received a B grade in the Ministry of Health’s grading of food service establishments.

On the list of 319 “restaurants, cafés, bars, grocery stores and other food businesses”, officials ranked establishments based on hygiene, food-handling practices, temperature control, structural conditions and overall risk management.

The assessment of compliance with food safety standards gave 176 A grades, 126 B grades and 13 C’s, covering businesses licensed from April 1, 2025, to March 31 this year.

The rankings, released most years since 2017, use unannounced annual inspections.

Environmental health officials tally up scores on a 100-point scale based on factors from temperature control of food to personal hygiene, staff protective clothing and vermin control.

An A is awarded for 90 to 100 points, while B equates to 80 to 89 points and C denotes 70 to 79 points.

The health department said that environmental health officers conduct routine inspections across the island and respond to all complaints received.

It added: “When issues are identified, officers have the authority to require corrective action or close an establishment if there is an active threat to public health.”

• Anyone with concerns about food safety should promptly report them to Environmental Health by e-mailing envhealth@gov.bm or by calling 278-5333