Aldershot takeaway found with mouldy food given zero hygiene rating

The owner of an Aldershot takeaway has been given a zero food hygiene rating and served with a legal caution after admitting a series of food hygiene failures.

A routine inspection of The Kings Grill/Burgeritzza/Kings Peri Peri in December found the cleanliness of the premises on Station Road to be very poor.

Environmental health inspectors from Rushmoor Borough Council said grease and food debris had built up on surfaces, wall, floors and food equipment, and it was apparent that a deep clean had not been made for some time.

Other issues included a lack of food safety knowledge of the staff, with inspectors finding mouldy food, poor food handling and storage, which could have led to cross-contamination of food and potentially, food poisoning of customers.

Inspectors also found that essential paperwork required by the takeaway to show how the business was managing food safety had been completed, despite all the issues that were discovered.

During the inspection, the owner voluntarily closed the shop to make the necessary improvements and throw food items away.

The business was allowed to re-open the next day when food hygiene standards had substantially improved.

A caution for six food safety offences was issued to the owner on 5 January following the inspection.

The council has revisited the business, and will continue to do so, to ensure food safety standards are maintained.

If standards are found to be poor in the future, further formal action is likely to be taken.

Rushmoor Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Environment & Neighbourhood, Councillor Maurice Sheehan, said: "Food businesses must be clean and keep to food hygiene laws. The vast majority of food business in Rushmoor do, but we will take action against the ones that don’t.

"I have little doubt that the actions of our officers in this case have substantially reduced the risk of people becoming ill.

"Our officers will continue to routinely visit food premises in Rushmoor and issue food hygiene ratings. If you can’t see a food rating sticker in the window, I would urge you to ask the business what their rating is, or go online to check."

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