Nine pubs or bars across Kirklees have been given a one out of five rating following hygiene inspections.
The second-to-bottom rating – zero is the lowest – was given to pubs including the Golden Cock in Farnley Tyas, the Elephant and Castle in Holmfirth and Northern Taps in Huddersfield town centre.
The ratings, which are decided following inspections by Kirklees Council environmental health officers, are published on the Scores on the Doors website.
A one star rating means that ‘major improvements’ are needed at the premises.
The bars or pubs in Kirklees currently listed with one star are:
Clarence Hotel, Towngate, Newsome
Rated: November 22, 2016.
Food hygiene was rated ‘poor’, confidence in management was ‘little’ and structural compliance ‘poor’.
The pub could not be contacted for comment. The telephone number published online went through to voicemail but no one responded.
Crosland Moor WMC, Blackmoorfoot Road, Crosland Moor
Rated: February 8 2016.
Food hygiene was rated ‘good’ but structural compliance was ‘poor’ and confidence in management was ‘little’.
A spokeswoman said a new committee had taken over and the previous stewardess had left. She described the previous hygiene report as “diabolical.” Problems highlighted by the council had been addressed one by one, she added. The premises had never actually served food but parties had brought in their own fare.
Elephant and Castle, Hollowgate, Holmfirth
Rated: December 13 2016.
Food hygiene was ‘fair’, structural compliance ‘poor’ and confidence in management ‘little’.
A pub spokeswoman said the kitchen had recently been refurbished and they were confident of achieving a four or five star rating at the next inspection. “People can look at our kitchen. It’s spotless,” she added.
Golden Cock, The Village, Farnley Tyas
Rated: July 7 2016.
Food hygiene was ‘poor’, structural compliance ‘fair’ and confidence in management ‘little’.
Ricardo Victor, owner of the Golden Cock, said that on the day of the inspection the head chef and sous chef were not present due to leave and sickness absence.
“Due to this the environmental health officer (EHO) wasn’t afforded the opportunity to inspect our paperwork and records, as they would be if a senior chef/manager had been on site.
“Our team were busy serving customers, consequently the EHO decided to give us only a one star rating.”
Mr Victor said the EHO was invited back and during a later meeting “they were satisfied everything was in order, pending a few very minor improvements, which were done immediately.”
He added: “Despite attempts to have them return to carry out a formal re-inspection and award our hoped-for top rating, they have not yet returned.
“We can only assume that they were fully satisfied on the follow-up visit, and returning to us has been a very low priority for them, as almost a year has now passed.
“We will keep chasing them to come back as having the one star rating on the Scores on The Doors website is, to our mind, somewhat unfair, when everything is in order.”
Mr Victor said the business worked to the highest standards of hygiene and food preparation.
Northern Taps, King Street, Huddersfield
Rated: June 15 2016.
Food hygiene was ‘bad’, structural compliance was ‘poor’ and confidence in management was ‘some’.
A spokesman said the premises was going through management changes at the time as the kitchen was not being well run. The kitchen has a new head chef, there is a new menu and “everything is up to date”. The premises is “overdue” an inspection, the spokesman added.
Old Saw Inn, Spen Lane, Gomersal
Rated: December 14 2016.
Food hygiene was ‘fair’, structural compliance ‘bad’ and confidence in management ‘little.’
No one could be contacted for comment. The telephone number published online went unanswered and there was no voicemail.
Shoulder of Mutton, Church Street, Slaithwaite
Rated: April 20 2015.
Food hygiene was ‘fair’, structural compliance ‘good’ and confidence in management was ‘little’. The pub has been recently re-inspected and a new rating is due to be published soon.
The business declined to comment.
The Wheatsheaf, Gomersal Lane, Gomersal
Rated: December 9 2016.
Food hygiene was ‘poor’, structural compliance ‘poor’ and confidence in management ‘little’.
A spokesman said it had received a low rating due to “silly things” such as split lino and paperwork which hadn’t been filled in. A council officer is due to return shortly, he said. “We should go back up to a 4 (star rating) – that’s what we had before.” He said major improvements had been made.
The Wickham Arms Hotel, St Peg Lane, Cleckheaton
Rated: May 5 2016.
Food hygiene was ‘poor’, structural compliance ‘fair’ and confidence in management ‘little’.
No-one was available to comment. A man who said he “just worked behind the bar” said he could not comment and added: “You will have to speak to one of my bosses.” However, he would not give his name or provide contact details and ended the call.