Cockroaches in food court

Exterminators work after hours in mall food court. Photo / Celeste Gorrell Anstiss

Health officials have investigated complaints about cockroaches around the food court at one of New Zealand's biggest malls.

Two employees complained to Auckland Council health inspectors during a routine inspection of Westfield St Lukes in November.

The council received a similar complaint from a member of the public in January.

Records from before the council was created last November were not available.

The complaints came to light after two pest exterminators in full protective suits sprayed seating areas around the food court on Tuesday evening this week.

A mall employee said she regularly saw roaches in service corridors around the eating areas. Another worker gave detailed instructions on where to find the pests - behind an unlocked, staff-only door near McDonald's.

Auckland Council health standard compliance manager Carole Todd said cockroaches could damage stock and make people sick. "Infestations of pests in food premises can mean an immediate closure and prosecution," she said.

"Regular control measures may be required if the pest problem is persistent and to prevent reinfestation."

Westfield national public relations manager Deb McGhie described the spraying as a "preventative measure" and referred queries about the council complaints to mall management.

St Lukes manager James Nelson said the council complaints had not been brought to his attention, but he was aware of instances when cockroaches had been found.

"We would be naive to think in such a public place we'd be immune to the problem," he said.

"We can never guarantee that something doesn't get brought in on a delivery or on a pallet of bread or by one of our 700,000 customers we have coming through each month."

Nelson said pest controllers checked the food court each month and sprayed if they found any bugs.

The area was "comprehensively" sprayed every change of season, he said.