What we thought when we visited Northamptonshire pub recently given one-star hygiene rating

At the end of last year, The Navigation pub in the Northamptonshire village of Stoke Bruerne was inspected by food hygiene officers.

The pub, owned by Marston’s, was handed a one-star rating and was told ‘major improvement was necessary’ in some areas.Marston’s responded to the rating by claiming the pub was ‘unable to use hot water on the day of the inspection’ and that the issue was ‘addressed and fixed within 24 hours of the visit’.

After findings of the report and the chain’s response was published by the Chronicle & Echo readers, were vocal on social media about their recent experiences at the picturesque village eatery.

So we thought we gave a meal at the pub a try while it is rated as one-star for food hygiene.

This is what we thought...

Having not visited the canal-side pub for a number of years, I was pretty much going in with fresh eyes.

The menu was extensive, varied and gave me a great dilemma of what to order.

I finally decided on the ‘Yorkshire Stack’, which was described as ‘two homemade Yorkshire puddings, stacked and each filled with either Cheddar or Stilton infused mashed potato, pork sausages and crispy onions. Served with vegetables and a jug of gravy’.

The Yorkshire puddings were crispy and if something can taste homemade, they did.

The cheesy mash (I ordered Cheddar) was smooth and tasty and the sausages were good quality.

Most importantly, the whole meal was hot and seemed freshly cooked.

For dessert, I opted for the classic of sticky toffee pudding and custard, which was again piping hot to the point that I had to wait for it to cool down.

Overall, the food was exactly as one would expect from a chain pub that is reasonably priced.

The cutlery, crockery, tables and surrounding areas were all clean and the condiments on the table were clearly labelled with use before dates that had not yet passed.

Obviously, I did not see behind the bar or inside the kitchen and of course, I am not a professional food hygiene inspector, but from what I was served, there I had no immediate queries or worries about hygiene.

It may not be relevant to a food hygiene rating, but it is also worth noting that the staff member who served me was exceptionally helpful, friendly and chatty.

The one-star rating at the pub has been in place for just under three months now, which is the period of time an establishment cannot be reinspected for after an initial inspection.

After that three-month period is over, the eatery can be reinspected and the local authority will then publish its findings online around a month after it decides to visit again.

The Chronicle & Echo will also publish the result of any further inspections once it has been released.