Restaurant closed due to mice still needs work
IT CLEANED UP ITS ACT BUT INSPECTORS ONLY GAVE IT ONE STAR
A DERBY restaurant closed due to a mouse problem and serious hygiene issues has been told to make more improvements.
Istanbul Restaurant, in Pear Tree Road, was visited by Derby City Council food safety inspectors in March and was given zero stars. It then closed in order to make urgent improvements required by the council.
In their report, inspectors detailed how they found mouse droppings throughout the premises, as well as a dead and a live mouse.
It was reinspected on June 10, 2021 and achieved a onestar rating, meaning that major improvements are needed.
The takeaway had hired a pest-control company to manage its rodent problem and though hygienic food handling and cleanliness were found to be “generally satisfactory”, major improvement was required in the management of food safety.
Following the first inspection on 10 March, the business temporarily closed so improvements could take place, and was reopened two days later.
In March, officers found sprouting potatoes in a stock room, which had attracted several flies, dirty storage units and floors throughout the building and a lack of proper cleaning.
Staff at the Turkish restaurant and takeaway were not wearing any suitable or clean overclothes and soap had not been provided to wash their hands.
The report said: “At the time of my visit the premises was found to be in a filthy state and there was evidence of activity from mice in the form of droppings, a dead mouse and a live mouse.
“As a result, the premises was closed under a voluntary closure agreement. As you are aware mice carry food poisoning bacteria and can contaminate food and food surfaces that they come into contact with.
“You must take appropriate steps to keep your premises free from pests at all times. “As the premises was found to be much cleaner at your revisit on 12 March 2021 and controls were in place to ensure food safety, the voluntary closure was lifted, and you were able to reopen. “However, you must continue to maintain the premises in a clean condition at all times and ensure the pest proofing works identified by your pest control contractor are completed.
“I remind you that standards found at my initial visit on 10 March 2021 will not be tolerated by this department and if similar standards are found at future visits then further legal action will be taken.”
The council set strict improvement measures on the business and the takeaway hired a pest controller to solve its rodent problem.
A second inspection on 10 June – three months after the first – gave the outlet a one-star rating, meaning major improvement is necessary.
Although the inspection found the restaurant to be generally satisfactory in terms of hygienic food handling and cleanliness and condition of facilities and the building, major improvement was needed when it came to management of food safety, which includes ensuring food is safe to eat and that staff understand rules around food safety.
Istanbul has been approached for comment.
Standards for food outlets are set by the Food Standards Agency, but inspections are carried out by the local authority.
Establishments can receive between zero and five stars, with a rating of three stars meaning a business is generally compliant with regulations.
Councils can temporarily close a business if they are deemed an immediate risk to public safety.
After a business is inspected, the council has 14 days to inform operators of the scoring decision.
The business then has 21 days to appeal against that decision and only after this can we at Derbyshire Live submit a Freedom of Information request, which can take up to 20 working days to be provided. Once we receive the information, we again contact the business in question for comment to see what action it has taken before publishing the findings of the report.
Standards found at my initial visit on 10 March 2021 will not be tolerated by this department. Inspector