Revealed: 10 disgusting reasons why this ZERO star hygiene rated kebab shop in Northampton town centre was closed down

Here are 10 disgusting reasons why a kebab shop in prime Northampton town centre location was slapped with a ZERO star food hygiene.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) scheme gives businesses a rating from five to zero which is displayed at their premises and online so you can make more informed choices about where to buy and eat food.

Establishments rated five are deemed to have hygiene standards which are very good, those rated zero are told urgent improvement is needed.

Ratings show how well the business is doing overall, based on standards found at the time of inspection.

Local inspectors visit any place where food is handled, stored or prepared — but do not take into account quality of the food, customer service, culinary skill, presentation or comfort.

There is currently just one establishment in Northampton which has a zero star rating – N-Hampton BBQ in Abington Street, which has since closed down following the damning results.

This newspaper previouslyasked West Northants Council (WNC), which carries out the inspections on behalf of the FSA, why N-Hampton BBQ was so grotty.

A WNC spokesman said: “Environmental health officers carried out a routine inspection of this premises in November 2022 as part of our continual monitoring of food premises in West Northamptonshire and found unacceptable conditions.”

The council did not detail what they found on site so this newspaper put in a freedom of information request in search of further details – here’s what we received back.

10 grotty reasons why N’Hampton BBQ was given a ZERO star rating, according to FOI data

• The red chopping board had been used to prepare raw chicken and onions without cleaning and disinfection between use. This exposes the food to a risk of contamination.

• The green chopping board used to prepare ready to eat vegetables was being stored next to the raw meat mincers and uncovered sauces were being stored on the work top. You must protect food from any contamination at all stages of production and processing.

• Equipment was not being disinfected and a bathroom cleaner was being used on surfaces. All surfaces and equipment that come into contact with high risk foods must be disinfected.

• Cloths must be kept clean, disinfected and replaced regularly.

• Food handlers were not wearing any protective clothing. You must ensure that all persons in food handling areas wear suitable, clean, and where appropriate, protective clothing. For open food handlers this means a clean coat, tunic, uniform or similar.

• There was no hot water to the wash hand basins. Repair the boiler to the wash hand basins. Ensure there is a supply of hot and cold, or appropriately mixed, running water to the wash hand basins.

• There was no hot water to the sinks used for cleaning utensils and equipment.

• The drainage facilities to the wash hand basin in the servery kitchen is inadequate.

• There was no soap or hand drying facilities available to the wash hand basin in the rear kitchen. Wash hand basins must be provided with materials for cleaning hands and for hygienic hand drying.

• The standard of cleaning was extremely poor. There was a build up of dirt, debris and grease to the floor surfaces, wall surfaces and hand contact points in the rear kitchen, servery and basement kitchen.