Rats, mould and cig butts found in Huddersfield food outlets - full list of hygiene zero star rated outlets

A HORROR story of rats, mice and mouldy food has been uncovered at a food outlet near you.

Damning reports by health inspectors have uncovered some appalling breaches of hygiene standard – including pests, layer upon layer of grime and grease and cigarette butts.

Kirklees Council food hygiene inspectors have confirmed 20 food establishments in Huddersfield currently fall well below basic food hygiene standards.

The outlets have been rated zero for their “very poor” compliance with food hygiene.

Details of the inspections have been revealed to the Examiner, in a Freedom of Information request. The reports are normally secret.

They included:

l Rats and mice in kitchens

l Takeaways with no fridge for food storage

l Raw food stored next to cooked food

l Mouldy food and rice reheated several times

All the food outlets are currently rated zero after inspections of their premises by authorised officers from Kirklees Council’s Environment Services.

All restaurants, pubs and cafés in Kirklees are rated from zero (very poor) to 5 stars (excellent) based on the Food Law Code of Practice issued by the Food Standards Agency.

Staff have a total of 5,000 food premises to inspect across Kirklees ranging from supermarkets to bakeries, pubs and takeaways.

Details revealed show that Barracuda Fisheries in Slaithwaite had a “rat infestation”.

Inspector Andrew Martin said the takeaway needed to get some “pest control” and make sure staff washed their dirty uniforms.

Inspectors also believed Raja’s Chicken on Manchester Road had an “active mouse infestation”.

And Fine Bakers Ltd on Mill Street in Crosland Moor was closed down for the weekend so the owner could get rid of a “possible mouse infestation”.

During checks of Grill Cottage in Marsh, inspector Martin found food in a fridge that was running at 13.8°C – more than double the required 5°C maximum temperature for refrigeration.

Lepton Spice, on Highgate Lane, had no fridge in which to store food at all.

In Imran’s Supermarket on Manchester Road in Thornton Lodge, the inspector found cigarette butts and ash all around the shop as well as “dirty” toilets and walls.

And at Madina Birkby on Blacker Road, an inspector noticed staff were putting food on the floor next to an open door so it could cool.

Lowerhouses eatery Natural Flavours was storing raw food like uncooked burgers next to ready-to-eat food like cheese.

At New Taste on Woodhead Road in Lockwood, the inspector said: “At the time of my visit you were boiling rice, letting it cool, frying rice, letting it cool and then reheating it again for service.

“This practice is not acceptable as it increases the chances of food poisoning bacteria multiplying in the rice.”

At Pronto Pizza on Wakefield Road in Dalton an inspector found containers of salad were being laid out on the stairs before being taken out to customers.

The fridge and microwave were rusty and the level of cleaning throughout was said to be “poor”. Inspector Andrew Marsh said in his report: “The knife rack was filthy and had not been cleaned for some time. The area where you cut pizzas prior to service was dirty and posed a risk of contaminating food.”

At Trio’s Tandoori and Pizza on Broad Lane in Dalton, the inspector found mouldy food, cigarettes floating in the toilet and a full ashtray in the kitchen.

Inspector Leanne Wainwright concluded that Duo Fu on Helme Lane in Meltham, was “seriously contravening” food hygiene regulations. This included rice and cooked chicken being stored out of the fridge, raw and uncooked foods being stored together, and no sink for staff to wash their hands. Walls in the kitchen were “mouldy and flaking plaster”.

See next page for list out outlets.

You can see what score your favourite restaurant has by visitingwww.scoresonthedoors.co.uk.

Worst-rated outlets

Barracuda Fisheries, Slaithwaite;

Didi Pizza, Linthwaite;

Duo Fu, Meltham;

Fine Bakers Ltd, Crosland Moor;

Ghulam Kebab House, Queensgate

Trios, Moldgreen;

Grill Cottage, Marsh; I

mran’s Supermarket, Thornton Lodge,

Lazeez, Aspley;