Food hygiene shock as nearly 120 outlets deemed in need of ‘urgent’ or ‘major’ improvements

The fact that so many restaurants, takeaways, cafes and shops come the lowest two of five ratings for a healthy environment has alarmed MPs who care calling for tougher action to improve standards.

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Blackburn MP Kate Hollern and Hyndburn’s Graham Jones are urging people to check the national food standards ‘Scores on the Doors’ website before purchasing food.

Out of a total of 4,473 outlets across East Lancashire 117 come in the lowest to two categories - One ‘Urgent Improvement Necessary’ or Two ‘Major Improvement Necessary’.

The worst figure comes from Hyndburn where 44 of 656 premises come in the bottom two scores.

The lowest proportion of ‘needing improvement’ outlets is Pendle with just five out of 776, and 546 in the top category Five ‘very good’.

Hyndburn had 363 outlets in the top ranking.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has 1,223 food premises with 36 in the needing improvement categories and 535 scoring five for ‘every good’.

Burnley has 20 in rankings one and two and 411 in the top category out of 714.

Ribble Valley and Rossendale both have four in ranking two and none in need of ‘urgent improvement’, scoring 381 and 404 ‘very goods’ respectively.

The ‘Scores on the Doors’ food ranking system was introduced nationally in 2011 with results for all food promises inspected by council environmental health officials available on a special website.

Mrs Hollern said: “The fact that so many premises are in the bottom two categories needing ‘urgent’ or ‘major’ improvement is very worrying.

“Councils need to step up enforcement on those premises that fail to improve and close those that do not take the necessary steps.

“I am a big fan of ‘Scores on the Doors’ and people should check the rating before using a restaurant, cafe or takeaway.”

Mr Jones said: “I am worried by so many food establishments coming in the lowest two categories for hygiene and customers will be worried too.

“I shall be contacting Hyndburn council about these figures, although I know they work very hard on enforcement.

“Food hygiene is vital and action must taken to improve standards and close those premises which are repeat offenders.

“People should check the ‘Scores on the Doors’ website before using cafe’s restaurants and takeaways bit to be honest it’s a poor do that they have to.”

Across Lancashire’s 11,450 food premises, 374 scored just one or two with Blackpool coming off worst with 55 out of 1,626 needing urgent or major improvement.

Hyndburn Borough Council’s environmental health cabinet member Paul Cox said: “We have a large number of premises in Hyndburn that are rated good with 506 out of 561 rated premises scoring 3 or above. We take food hygiene seriously and when premises are found to be lacking they are rated accordingly. “We work with premises where we have concerns to ensure they improve, but if they fail to do so we take appropriate action, including serving notices and ultimately closing premises down if necessary, as our primary concern is always to protect the public from the threat of eating unsafe food.”

A Burnley Council spokesman said: “We work closely with food businesses in helping them improve their food rating, particularly those at the lower end of the scale.

“In Burnley borough less than three per cent of those food outlets covered by the scheme are rated nought or one. By contrast 84 per cent are rated four or five, the top two scores.”

Pendle council corporate director Philip Mousdale, said: “89 per cent of Pendle’s food premises are now in the top two performing ratings – this is above the overall county level so it is really good news for Pendle’s consumers and food businesses.

“This shows we take food safety very seriously and Pendle’s residents and visitors can have confidence in our restaurants, cafes and takeaways.”

Zero or one-star rated takeaways

According to the ‘Scores on the Doors’ website as off Friday August 14:
 

BLACKBURN WITH DARWEN:
Almurshid Grocers, 2 July Street, Blackburn (1); Al-Syed Food Store, 20 New Bank Road, Blackburn (1); Barkat Cash & Carry Ltd, Unit 2, Bay Street, Blackburn (1); Bastwell Curry Centre, 110 Whalley New Road, Blackburn (1); Best One, 59-61 Sudellside Street, Darwen (1); Brownhill Chippy,758 Whalley New Road, Blackburn (1); Carter & Booth, Six Day Market Hall, Croft Street, Darwen (1); Chopsticks,140a Livesey Branch Road, Livesey (1); Dixy Chicken, 46 Darwen Street, Blackburn (1); Edmund Street Off Licence, 2 Edmund Street, Darwen (1); Flame Inn, 12 Albert St, Blackburn (1); Garden Village Store, 132a Sough Road, Darwen (1) Geo Superstore, Unit 3, Europa House, Bennington Street, Blackburn (1 ); Hafeji’s Food Store, 137 Johnston Street, Blackburn (1); Hong Kong Kitchen, 50 New Chapel Street, Blackburn (1); Hussain Grocers, 59-61 Devonport Road, Blackburn (1); K2 Taj, 178 Shear Brow, Blackburn (1);Kashmir Halal Centre, 44 Whitehead Street, Blackburn (1); Late Shopper, 180 Shear Brow, Blackburn (1); Mayers Fishmongers, Market Hall, Church Street, Blackburn (1); Mohammed & Sons, 35-37 Pringle Street, Blackburn (1); New Top Choice Food Store, 278 Whalley Old Road, Blackburn (1); Pizza Hot, 93 Duckworth Street, Darwen (1); Rehmans Fish ‘N’ Chips, 213 Audley Range, Blackburn (1); Royal Sweet Centre, 118 Audley Range, Blackburn (1 ); SE & J Worsley Newsagents Ltd, 341 Preston Old Road, Blackburn (1); Shadsworth Chippy & Curry House, 221 Shadsworth Road, Blackburn (1); Shah Jalal Fish Bazar, 55 Whalley New Road, Blackburn (1): Sidra Cash & Carry, 231-233 Whalley New Road, Blackburn (1); Sonali182 Bolton Road, Blackburn (1); Spindles Diner, Market Hall, Church Street, Blackburn (1); Tasty Spot, 33 Darwen Street, Blackburn (1); Tasty Village, 140 Bolton Road, Darwen (1); Trishna Indian Takeaway, 161 Bolton Road, Blackburn (1); Chunky Chicken, 23 Whalley Range, Blackburn, (0) and Manxman Off Licence, 26 Manxman Road, Blackburn (0).

HYNDBURN:
Amaleos, Church Street, Great Harwood, Lancashire (1); Antley Methodist ChurchBlackburn Road, Accrington (1); Azad Takeaway,180 Blackburn Road, Accrington (1); Aztec Stores, 401-403 Whalley Road, Clayton Le Moors (1 ); Bargain Booze, 110a Union Road, Oswaldtwistle (1); Bargain Booze, 8-12 St. Huberts Street, Great Harwood (1); Bargain Booze ( Mr Booze), 182-184 Haywood Road, Accrington  (1); Church Mini Mart, 13-15 Victoria Street, Church (1); Clayton Mini Market, 79-81 Barnes Street, Clayton le Moors (1); Craig A Howson, 275 Whalley Road, Accrington (1); Eastern Promise, 314 Blackburn Road, Accrington (1); ‘G&D Cropper’, Accrington Market Hall (1); Gills Sandwiches, 20 High Street, Rishton (1); Happy House, 90 High Street, Rishton (1); Harwood Chippery, 4-6 Town Hall Street, Great Harwood (1); Henry Street Chippy, 72 Henry Street, Church (1); JMJ Polish Smak, 18 Whalley Road, Accrington (1); Kims Take Away, 70 Glebe Street, Great Harwood (1); K & P Tripe, Kiosk 7 Market Pavillions (1); Lily Mae’s Coffee Bar & Bistro, 18 King Street, Accrington (1); Mace Convenience Store, 1 Edleston Street, Accrington (1); Milly’s Balcony Cafe, Market Hall, Blackburn Road, Accrington (1); Munch Box (1); Murray’s Munchies, 4 Newhouse Road, Huncoat Industrial Estate, Accrington (1); New Zorba, 167-169 Whalley Road, Clayton-le-Moors, (1); Parmo’s Takeaway, 74 Blackburn Road, Accrington (1); Pennine Superstore, 154 Higher Antley Street, Accrington (1); Pizza Dome, 27 Blackburn Road, Great Harwood (1); Portland Street Community Centre, Portland Street, Accrington,(1); Real Cafe Company, Unit 25, The Arndale Centre (1); Regency Restaurant, Bridge Street, Accrington (1); Sandersons Butchers, 491B Manchester Road, Accrington (1); Sea Breeze, 31 Moscow Mill Street, Oswaldtwistle (1); Spring Hill Convenience Store, 59 Spring Hill Road, Accrington, (1); The Butty Shop, 127 Whalley Road, Clayton-le Moors (1); The Milky Bar, 412 Blackburn Road, Accrington (1); ‘The Vintage China Tea Party Co’ (1 ); ‘The Whitecroft’, Haslingden Old Road, Oswaldtwistle (1); Trickett Ices, Market Hall, Blackburn Road, Accrington (1); Whiteheads Super Market, Princess Street, Great Harwood (1 ); Caladonia Chicken, 376 Blackburn Road, Accrington (0); Joe Joe’s, 27 Church Street, Church (0 ); Rajas, 75 Abbey Street, Accrington (0); and Roosters Chicken, 10 Blackburn Road, Great Harwood (0).

RIBBLE VALLEY
Black Bull Inn, 17 Bridge Road, Chatburn, (1); Brendan Anderton Butchers Ltd, 19-21 Derby Road, Longridge (1); Chatburn Post Office, 1-3 Bridge Road, Chatburn (1); Gazegill Organics Butchers, Lower Gazegill Farm, Dancer Lane, off Cross Hill Lane, Rimington (1); Grill with Shakes, 9 Berry Lane, Longridge (1); Halfway House @ Clitheroe Golf Club, Whalley Road, Pendleton (1); McColls, 38 Henthorn Road, Clitheroe, (1); Pendle View Fisheries, A59, Barrow, Clitheroe (1); The Fork ‘n’ Knife, Pendle Industrial Estate, Chatburn (1); and The New “Castle” Kitchen, Ribblesdale Works, West Bradford Road, Clitheroe (1).