‘Zero’ eateries are ordered to clean up act
THESE are the least hygienic takeaways, restaurants, pubs and food and drink stores in the borough.
The eight businesses, which were all inspected in the last 16 months, were given a ‘zero’ rating by inspectors in the Food Standards Agency’s national food hygiene ratings scheme.
In Macclesfield, Madras Spice on Brook Street, Massala House in Weston Square, Oriental House on Park Lane and Pizza Pantry on Bond Street were all deemed to need ‘ urgent improvement’.
Others given a warning that they must improve immediately were Shanghai Memories on Chestergate, Weston Bakery in Weston Square, Earlsway, The Miners Arms on Wood Lane North in Adlington and Park Lane Pizza on Park Lane in Poynton.
The food hygiene scale goes from zero to five, with those achieving a five judged to be the safest, cleanest and best.
Food safety officers assess three separate areas: food hygiene, covering the handling, preparation, cooking and storage of food, the cleanliness and condition of facilities and buildings, and management. Staff knowledge is also examined.
The FSA said the system ensured food sold or served was safe to eat.
A spokesman said: “The rating given is based on how well they do in each of these areas – they are all important.”
They added that those achieving a rating of zero were likely to be performing poorly in all three areas.
The Express contacted all the businesses concerned, so far five have responded. Eileen Draper, owner of Weston Bakery said: “A zero rating assessment was given when paperwork was not up-todate – in our case it was our ‘safer food better business’ paperwork.
“This has since been rectified, checked by the Environmental Health Officer and we are awaiting a re-inspection.”
Maboob Uddin, manager of Massala House, said they were reassessed two weeks ago and were awaiting a new rating.
The manager of Oriental House said they recently had an inspection and were given a rating of three.
Karen Fu, manager of Shanghai Memories, said the business had been inspected again when she was on holiday and that they were awaiting a new rating.
The landlord of the Miners Arms said: “It was a zero rated business when we moved in in February but now it’s not. I haven’t bothered to apply for a new rating.”
All businesses can appeal and ask for reinspections.
Our list is based on inspections that appear on the FSA’s website and is accurate at the time of writing. Visits from council inspectors vary and some might be waiting for upcoming inspections.