Earlier this month a social media post gained traction when it claimed a Queensland hotel was “infested with cockroaches”.
A video showed a live cockroach inside a sugar container, with claims that the insects had made their home under a coffee machine.
The popular Twin City Hotel has denied these claims, saying the video could not be verified after staff checked the CCTV footage of the area in question.
The Twin City Hotel, promoted as “the biggest pub in Australia”, has five separate restaurants within its complex, but a spokesperson said there was no evidence of cockroaches, claiming that in the two years it has been open there have been no sightings or complaints of the critters.
The woman, who made the video around lunchtime on Sunday 5 April, laid her complaint with the Townsville City Council the following Thursday morning after she posted the footage online.
Within hours, the council visited the establishment, inspecting the hotel and kitchens as well as the pest control service logs, which were found to be up to date.
The hotel spokesperson said its routine pest control was undertaken quarterly, with no further recommendations for increased services, and stated that the hotel worked hard to ensure a clean and safe environment.
They further pointed out that with the clearance from the council, it proved the establishment was running a clean operation.
The woman who made the complaint said she was finished with the hospitality industry and looking for a career elsewhere, which is why her post was not anonymous.
Responses on the social media post were mixed, with some not believing the woman and others deciding to avoid the hotel altogether.
While the council was unable to speak on the specifics of this case, it did confirm that food complaints were taken very seriously and are investigated within twenty-four hours of receipt.
Twin City hotel is the latest acquisition by the Star Hotel Group, beginning construction in 2022.
It was named after the historic twin cities of Thuringowa and Townsville and offers a variety of spaces including bars, café, dining areas and gaming.
