Smugglers Inn Newquay given zero food hygiene rating says it’s because of mice

A pub in Cornwall has been given the lowest food hygiene rating and told ‘urgent improvement is required’. The Smugglers Inn in St Mawgan, near Newquay, was given a zero rating by inspectors from Cornwall Council, but says it was all down to mice.

However, a full site inspection was carried out on April 30 and inspectors found that “improvement is required” when it comes to the bar’s hygienic handling of food – including its preparation, cooking, reheating, cooling and storage . It also found that “major improvement is required” when it comes to the venue’s management of food safety.

According to the Food Standards Agency, this means the pub must ensure it has a “system or controls in place to ensure food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff are aware of food safety and the food safety officer food safety is trusted. that standards will be maintained in the future’. They also felt that “major improvement is required” in terms of the cleanliness and condition of its facilities and building.

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The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS), overseen by the FSA, was designed to help customers choose where to eat or buy food by telling them how seriously the business takes food hygiene standards. The scheme is run by local authorities in England, Northern Ireland and Wales and applies to restaurants, pubs, cafes, takeaways, hotels, supermarkets and other food outlets.

Each establishment is given its hygiene rating when inspected by a food safety officer from the establishment’s local authority. The food safety officer who inspects the business checks how well the business is complying with the law by looking at:

• how hygienically the food is handled – how it is prepared, cooked, reheated, cooled and stored;

• the condition of the building structure – cleanliness, layout, lighting, ventilation and other equipment;

• how the business manages and records what it does to ensure food is safe.

At the end of the inspection, the business receives one of six ratings from zero to five. The maximum rating of five means the business has been found to have ‘very good’ hygiene standards.

The owner of the Smuggler’s Inn, who only wanted to be known as Jack, said: “The reason for the assessment was because there was evidence of mice. It’s an old building, so the mice get it. We have pest control in place, but we switched to a new pest contractor and rodent proofed the entire building.

“Since the first inspection, there has been no rodent activity and we have had four different inspections from pest control who are happy with it. We check every day.

“The whole kitchen was ripped out and replaced. We also completely restocked the kitchen. We will be confident of getting a better rating at the next inspection as things have improved.”

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