One in ten Kingston food providers must improve hygiene standards

According to Food Standards Agency (FSA) data 13 businesses were given ratings of 0 out of five, and another 65 inspected by Kingston Council’s environmental health team received just one out of five.

In total 144 food outlets of the 1,099 inspected were rated below “generally satisfactory”.

In contrast, nearly half of food outlets in the borough had achieved top marks, something the FSA states all businesses “should be able” to do.

The businesses given a zero-rating include Dallas Chicken and Ribs in Clarence Street, and the Priya Indian restaurant in Brighton Road, Surbiton.

Ziya Gul, manager of the Chic-o-land takeaway in Kingston, said achieving full marks for his restaurant took a lot of work. He said: “Everything has to be spotless. They are very strict when it comes to inspecting shops, but we have got it twice. We have worked really hard to get that.”

Shelly Mahoney, manager of the Playtime Day Nursery in Bridge Road, Chessington, said its one-out-of-five rating was due to the age of the building.

She said: “Because it is an old building we can’t build on to anything. We just de-cluttered the room a bit more because it is an office as well.

“We brought a steam cleaner and updated our food policy.”

Coombe Hill Infants and Junior School received a rating of two out of five last November. The school’s caterers, Cygnet Catering, were unavailable for comment over the half-term break.

Councillor David Ryder-Mills, lead member for schools and continuing education, said a lagging food management system was behind the “improvement needed” rating, and that increased monitoring would see the school ascend the FSA scale.

Councillor Simon James, lead member for sustainability, said: “We do regularly prosecute any establishment found to have substandard hygiene levels.

“Any business that we find that is actually dangerous in terms of food safety, we will take immediate action.

“It is also a case of going in, saying, ‘It would be better if you did this’.”

A Kingston Council spokesman said: “Food premises in the borough are inspected at regular intervals and advised accordingly, and encouraged to display the food hygiene rating scheme sticker which shows their score.

“Should a business fail to carry out urgent improvements we can take action by serving a hygiene improvement notice.

“Should a business still not comply then we take legal action, which can lead to heavy fines.”

The majority of ratings in Kingston are four or five out of five, the spokesman added.

Last week the Surrey Comet reported that a survey by consumer group Which? had revealed the KT4 postcode – Worcester Park – as the second-dirtiest area in Britain to eat out.

The average rating given to businesses in the area was just 2.63 out of five.

Three-quarters of people surveyed by Which? said they would not eat somewhere rated below “generally satisfactory” – or three out of five.

Environmental health inspectors consider how food is prepared and stored, how food safety is documented, plus cleanliness and other conditions inside a business.

Ratings indicate the conditions found at the time of inspection, but do not reflect food quality or service standards.

Businesses can only be closed down if an officer decides food is not safe to eat, or there is an imminent risk to customers’ health.

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Zero-ratings

Bruschetta, London Road, 14 December 2012

Cafe Green, High Street New Malden, 01 November 2012

Dallas Chicken & Ribs Ltd, Clarence Street 17 May 2012

Gourmet Corner, Richmond Road, 06 March 2013

Iyngaran Food & Wine, Burlington Road, 27 March 2013

Karenna Café, Hook Road, 17 October 2012

Priya Indian Restaurant, Brighton Road, 22 September 2012

RAJ Cash & Carry, Tolworth Broadway, 28 February 2013

Red Planet Pizza & Jasmine Garden, Old London Road, 05 February 2013

Republic, Old London Road, 16 January 2013

Spicy Island, Burlington Road, 18 January 2013

William Baig Catering, Wickes Car Park Pitch London Road, 21 February 2013