More than one in 53 food retailers across North Wales have failed hygiene inspections within the past two years, Daily Post research has revealed.
Some 7,200 premises were visited by food hygiene inspectors since late 2014 and given a Food Standards Agency (FSA) rating, between zero and five.
Those failing to get three or more stars - because they were dirty or had poor procedures - are deemed to have failed but may continue to trade. In the very worst cases inspectors have the right to close down businesses immediately and prosecute the owners.
Analysis of FSA reports by the Daily Post across six counties (Anglesey, Conwy, Gwynedd in the West and Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham in the East) show that 131 eateries scored below the three “generally satisfactory” pass.
Under the system, zero requires urgent improvement necessary; one means major improvement required; and two improvement needed. The two highest ratings mean standards are good and very good.
Flintshire had the worst overall rating with one in 34 premises (2.8 per cent) of the 1,050 places eligible for inspection scoring two of fewer. Of the 30 places looked at 13 were one-rated out of which one takeaway was awaiting reinspection. There were no zero-rated premises.
A further 42 places were judged exempt from inspection. These are “businesses that are a low-risk to people’s health in terms of food safety and that you perhaps wouldn’t normally think of as a food business – for example, newsagents, chemist shops or visitor centres selling tins of biscuits” and “childminders and businesses that offer caring services at home”.
However overall Wales has a better record than both England and Northern Ireland, both of which use the same FSA rating, The fact is credited to the Welsh government introducing the mandatory public display of ratings in November 2013, pushing up safety standards. In Scotland councils, which carry out the inspections, use a different system.
Anglesey, which has the fewest number of food businesses out of the six counties by far, had the best overall rating with four (0.64%) of the 626 premises visited, passing. Only one place was awaiting inspection.
In Conwy one in 48 of the 1,446 (2%) inspections carried out resulted in a fail, with 67 places exempt. Wrexham had the best overall standards with just one in 81 places failing to achieve a high standard, of the 1,057 visits only 13 (1.2%) were found wanting, with one still awaiting inspection.
Of the 1,873 premises in Gwynedd looked at, 33 (1.76%) failed to make the grade. Although two owners are hoping for a higher grade following a reinspection. Some 131 were exempt.
Denbighshire saw one in 44 premises (2.3%) score two or fewer, with 39 exemptions. Of these two premises were judged with the lowest possible, zero, rating. Officers visiting in March this year found that the Pizza Pan Takeaway, in Prestatyn, needed improvements in the way staff handled food and in the cleanliness and condition of facilities and building. They also called for urgent imrpovements in the system or checks to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat.
The only other zero-rated restaurant was the Simla Tandoori Indian in Llangollen, which was fined in August for failing to raise standards despite two improvement notices. It was the second time the restaurant has found itself in trouble. In 2008 its previous owner Shafique Uddin, was ordered at Wrexham Magistrates to pay more than £5,300 in fines and costs after conditions were judged to have posed “an imminent danger”.
Inspections usually take place between every six months for those at highest risk and two years for lower risk businesses, although in some cases in may be longer.
see-http://www.dailypost.co.uk/flood-map-north-wales/one-53-north-wales-premises-11933554
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