How clean is your takeaway? Bury's food hygiene ratings revealed - including two with worst possible rating

TWO Bury takeaways have been dished a zero food hygiene rating, the lowest possible score, by the Food Standards Agency ­— meaning urgent improvement is necessary.

This figure has fallen from January 2019 when five eateries were handed bottom marks.

Of the lowest rated businesses one was in Whitefield, Bombay Spice in Albert Place, and the other was in Bury, Dani in Rochdale Road.

Dani was visited by inspectors on November 18 with their report recording that “a thorough deep clean through the business” was required.

Inspectors also found that the pot wash area was in a “poor state of repair” and “not suitable for preparing food”, while the restaurant was instructed to clean out its back yard as it was “providing harbourage for pests”.

Other issues discussed included ensuring that food was stored either cold or hot and not to leave chicken on the customer counter area.

Overall the report said “urgent improvement” was necessary in the takeaway’s management of food safety and “improvement” was needed in its hygienic food handling practices and the cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building.

A member of the management of Dani restaurant declined to comment on the rating when approached by the Bury Times.

Bombay Spice was visited by inspectors on May 28 and again on June 6 who found initially that the restaurant’s fridge and freezers were not being kept at acceptable temperatures.

This was later rectified with new fridges and freezers fitted and being to be within the acceptable temperature range.

They also noted issues with staff not having the required Level 2 food hygiene training and the need for a gas engineer certificate and test.

Overall the report said “urgent improvement” was necessary in the takeaway’s management of food safety and “improvement” was needed in its hygienic food handling practices.

However the cleanliness and condition of the facilities and building were rated as “good”.

A total of 33 restaurants, cafes, canteens, pubs, bars, nightclubs, takeaways and sandwich shops received a one rating, meaning major improvement was necessary.

READ MORE: The Bury restaurants with a one star rating - full list

And a total of seven received a two rating, meaning improvement was needed.

However an impressive 394 ­— the vast majority of the borough’s 585 establishments ­— secured top marks of a five rating.

READ MORE: The Bury restaurants with a five star rating - full list

Each business is given their hygiene rating by the Food Standards Agency when it is inspected by a food safety officer from Bury Council.

The scheme is run by local authorities and applies to restaurants, pubs, cafes, takeaways, hotels, supermarkets and other food shops. The food safety officer inspecting the business checks how well the business is meeting the law by looking at how hygienically the food is handled, the condition of the structure of the buildings, and how the business makes sure food is safe.

Visits from the authority occur at different times and some businesses may be waiting on forthcoming inspections.

Some may have changed management or closed in the interim.

All scores were correct according to the HSA website as of January 1.

WHAT ARE FOOD HYGIENE RATINGS AND HOW DO THEY WORK?

ALL businesses and services selling or providing food to the public are subject to Food Hygiene Ratings.

The ratings system is designed to enable people to choose where they eat and buy their food secure in the knowledge that what they are eating has been stored and prepared in a clean and safe environment.

READ MORE: How did your favourite restaurant do last year?

It also shows consumers how seriously a business and its owners take their hygiene standards.

They typically apply to places as varied as pubs and cafes, schools and care homes, supermarkets and food vans, and takeaways and shops.

Inspections are annually carried out by the local authority.

Cllr Alan Quinn, Bury Council's cabinet member for the environment, said: “It is essential that residents have complete confidence in the safety of their food when they visit a restaurant, café, takeaway or shop, or when they order it to be delivered.

“We have a legal duty to ensure that all food businesses comply with the law and that the food they serve is properly stored and cooked in hygienic surroundings, a responsibility that businesses also have.

“We will always take immediate action to protect the public where we find instances of unsafe practices that put the public at risk.

“However, much of our work is around education and encouraging food businesses to improve and maintain standards. Where an establishment receives a low rating, it could be due to a lack of staff training or qualifications, or a lack of required documentation.

“We are glad that the vast majority of food businesses in Bury enjoy good ratings and look after their customers properly, which is reflected in the fact that Bury has been awarded the Purple Flag for its evening economy.

“We have a lot of information on our website which will help local businesses to meet the standards expected of them, which can be found at bury.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=11655."

Inspections on food outlets are overseen by the FSA, which was created in 2001 following several high profile outbreaks and deaths relating to foodborne illnesses.

The FSA is in an independent Government organisation which works to protect public health and consumers interests in the food industry.

Routine inspections are regularly carried out to assess three main elements how hygienically the food is prepared, cooked, cooled and stored; the cleanliness and physical condition of the business, including pest control; and how the business manages ways of keeping food safe, such as training and management systems.

A rating of five to zero is then awarded based on whether hygiene standards are very good at the top of the scale through to urgent improvement being necessary at the bottom of the scale.

Displaying a sticker disclosing a business’s food hygiene rating is optional in England, although it is mandatory by law in Wales and Northern Ireland and Scotland operates under a different system.