The owner of a restaurant handed a ‘zero’ food hygiene rating says she has dealt with issues raised by a council inspector.
Calderdale Council wrote to Pajaree’s, a Thai restaurant in Broad Street, Halifax, following an inspection in November that led to a zero food hygiene rating, the lowest score on a scale of five.
In a letter, the council informed the restaurant owner that the premises had now “scored zero in at least three of your previous inspections.”
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The letter contained a list of ‘contraventions’ which included the discovery of several foods that were past their recommended storage times or were mouldy and had a ‘foul smell’. These foods were limes, leek, peaches and coconut milk. The letter and report were released following a Freedom of Information request to the council.
The letter, sent in November, said some of the contraventions were ‘repeat’ issues. The letter highlighted:
- ‘Little evidence’ for the introduction of a Food Safety Management System (FSMS).
- ‘Inadequate’ food hygiene awareness.
- Dirty floor coverings.
- Dirty and greasy door seals on a fridge.
- Sealant behind a sink mouldy, dirty and greasy.
- Standard of cleaning in the kitchen ‘generally poor’.
- Chopping board was not clean.
- Dirty wall coverings in the kitchen.
- Too much clutter in the kitchen making cleaning difficult.
- Equipment not clean, including worktops, sink, deep fryer and cooker.
The letter stated: “Your food hygiene rating based on this visit is a zero. You have now scored zero in at least three of your previous inspections.”
It later added: “It was apparent during my inspection that your level of food hygiene awareness was inadequate. You must ensure that you are appropriately trained in food hygiene matters as necessary.”
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The food hygiene inspection report, compiled during the November visit, also mentioned ‘cross contamination’ relating to chopping boards, and the ceiling turning yellow/greasy due to poor extraction.
Restaurant owner Pajaree Newlove told YorkshireLive that the matters raised by the council in November had been dealt with. The restaurant has been established since 1997.
She said: “All points mentioned in the letter you cite from November 6 have been dealt with, in November. What you fail to mention from the letter, but which I am still waiting to hear about, is that the person writing it gave a deadline for work to be done at which point he would return to inspect the premises.
“It is now January 5 and no one has contacted me or visited from Calderdale council since.
“There are other items in that letter which are incorrect so I believe they are put there to add an element of sensation or are ‘copy and paste’ remarks thrown in for good measure.”
The latest food hygiene rating for the restaurant has been published on the Scores on the Doors website.
Laura Adams is a tech enthusiast residing in the UK. Her articles cover the latest technological innovations, from AI to consumer gadgets, providing readers with a glimpse into the future of technology.