Inspector tells Northampton pub to steam-clean kitchen after poor hygiene rating report

Following its latest inspection on April 25, the Food Standards Agency gave the Collingtree pub, in Butts Road East Hunsbury, a one-star rating out of five.

The watchdog said the cleanliness and condition of the building and the management of food safety needed 'major improvements'.

But following a Freedom of Information request by this newspaper, the Chronicle & Echo has discovered there were some further alarming findings.

In a food report, seen by the Chron, environmental health inspectors noted that clothing worn by a chef, on the day of inspection, was "dirty and discoloured" and a number of defrosted sauces were unlabelled.

There was also a risk of cross-contamination too, as raw meat, albeit wrapped, was stored adjacent to ready-to-eat foods in the fridge.

The Sizzler-branded Colingtree pub, which is owned by Mitchells and Butler, serves a reasonably priced menu of pub classics, burger stacks and ice cream sundaes.

But the inspector took issue with the cleaning and disinfection standards too, describing the standard of cleaning throughout the premises as "poor with food debris on show below equipment".

Fryers, the hob and the oven were also recorded as dirty with a "build-up of grease carbon, dirt and food debris evident."

Aside from the cooking equipment, there was dirt and grease spotted on the yard floor and staff areas in the premises were noted as being dirty.

In the inspector's recommendations, she said: "Standards of cleaning in public areas was poor, including floor wall junctions in the WC's, floor surfaces in the public bar, tables, etc. All areas must be thoroughly cleaned.

"Considering the poor standards of cleanliness in the kitchen, particularly the build-up of grease and carbon on cooking equipment, you may wish to engage with a commercial cleaning company with access to a decarboniser, steam cleaner, etc."

"This may help get the premises to an acceptable standard of cleanliness such that staff can thereafter maintain it."

A spokesman for The Collingtree said: “We take the cleanliness of our pub very seriously and have been working closely with the local environmental health officer (EHO) to ensure all the issues raised were fixed.

"Since the visit in April we have brought in new management at the pub who have been working hard to improve standards across all aspects of the business.

"We have requested a revisit from the EHO and, following assessments made by auditors, we are confident of achieving a new improved rating.”