Filthy restaurants - named and shamed

FOOD unfit for human consumption, filthy kitchens and a lack of hand washing facilities - these are just a few of the horrifying discoveries unearthed at dozens of restaurants across the area.

Inspections carried out this year found chefs across Weston and surrounding villages are gambling with the health of their diners.

North Somerset Council officers have been combing premises across the district and rating them on a new star system.

This week, thanks to a Freedom of Information request, the Mercury is able to name and shame those that scored zero over the past six months and to tell readers of the stomach-churning reasons why.

When officers visited the Prince of Orange in High Street, Yatton, in April, they found a container of cooked peas wrapped in blood-covered cling film, as well as dirty cutlery trays and mould in the ice machine.

At the Lord Nelson in Main Road, Cleeve, in March, inspectors found dead insects falling into the wash hand basin and also stumbled across play equipment that was unstable.

Inspectors told pub bosses in their report: "It was apparent during my inspection that the level of food hygiene awareness among your staff was inadequate."

While at Cinnamon in The Centre, Weston, in February, they found staff were wrapping food in newspaper before storing it and at Ocean Grill in Alexandra Parade, Weston - a take away not even registered with the council at the time - dirty cloths were found to be overhanging bread and the only wash hand basin was being blocked by a food mixer during its July inspection.

North Somerset Council food and safety manager Chris Gwenlan said: "The places inspected get a certain period of time to improve and none of them were shut down on the spot.

"Most of them are generally compliant with what we ask.

"There has to be an immediate threat to health for us to consider shutting a premises down immediately, like a major pest infestation."

Dragon Kiss in Weston was rated as having no stars in January and after being inspected for a potential Norwalk virus outbreak in July, officers found rubbish leaking across the kitchen floor at the Regent Street bar and restaurant.

The restaurant could not be connected to the outbreak of the diarrhoea and vomiting bug among 12 diners, but was ordered to sort out a long list of hazards.

It is not only restaurants that North Somerset Council is inspecting, as officers are putting anywhere selling food under the microscope.

Milton Butchers in Milton Road also scored no stars in May this year when a rusty meat slicer was found and the sink for washing hands was out of order. Food was ordered to be thrown away in June at McColls in Locking Road after it was found to be stored at the wrong temperatures.

Mr Gwenaln added: "If owners and employees will comply with our guidance then we can take an educative approach. If they don't, we can go down the line of prosecuting them.

"If we have to go down this route, they could face a large fine."

All premises have had to bring their business up to an acceptable standard since the inspection and the council will closely monitor the worst culprits.

Other things found during the inspections:

Cinnamon, The Centre, Weston:

* Some of the equipment and surfaces needed a detailed clean and disinfection’.

* Raw meat was stored next to cooked meat.

* Extraction grill dirty was dirty with a heavy build-up of grease – becoming attractive to rodents.

Milton Butchers, Milton Road, Weston:

* Rusty meat slicer.

* Dirty wooden board used to chop pork pies and cheese.

* Dirty display cabinet.

* Vacuum pack machine being used for preparation of raw and cooked foods.

* Food in display chiller had no date to indicate shelf life.

* No food grade disinfectant on the premises.

* Door handle to chest freezer was broken and replaced with a blood-covered piece of string.

* Dirty floors and walls in chiller.

* Eggs stored at a temperature too high.

Camelia Caf�, St James Street, Weston:

* No water supplied to wash hand basin and no sufficient supply of soap.

Ocean Grill, Alexandra Parade, Weston:

* Dirty cleaning cloths and metal scourers were overhanging open bread rolls.

* Panini grill was not cleaned inside.

Tandoori Cottage, Bridgwater Road, Bleadon:

* Unable to provide any evidence at the time of food hygiene training for any member of staff.

* High risk foods were stored in a very dirty’ drinks fridge.

* No soap to wash hands with and dirty hand towel.

* Cutting board was mouldy.

* Fire hazard was being caused by the build up of grease and oil on the walls and roof.

Lord Nelson, Main Road, Cleeve:

* Raw and cooked food were stored next to each other.

* There was a dirty walk-in freezer.

* Food was being stored at the wrong temperature.

* There was no soap at the kitchen wash hand basin.

* There was uncertainty regarding the age of some high-risk foods in the fridge.

Cods Plaice, Loxton Road, Coronation estate, Weston:

* Wall paint was flaking above the potato chipper and in the preparation room.

* Dirty containers were being used to store flour.

* There were inadequate food washing facilities.

* Food was being stored at the wrong temperatures.

Pure Deer Takeaway, West Street, Weston:

* Wash hand basin was not in use.

* Colander of rice was covered with a stained and dirty tea towel.

* Main food handler had not received any food hygiene training.

Weston Tandoori, Severn Road, Weston:

* No food grade disinfectant was being used on work surfaces and equipment that has come into contact with food.

* There was generally poor cleaning of kitchen work surfaces and deep clean and disinfection’ was needed.

Dragon Kiss, Regent Street, Weston:

* Diary was not being used to record temperature of food on display.

* Rubbish was piled up next to the kitchen door.

* Plastic storage containers were in a poor’ condition.

* Raw and cooked foods were being stored next to each other.

* A tin can was being used as a rice scoop.

* The seal to kitchen sink was mouldy.

Burrington Inn, Burrington Combe:

* The wash hand basin was hard to access.

* The meat slicer was dirty.

* Some fridges were dirty.

* The rear of wash hand basin was mouldy.

* The cold room shelves were dirty.

* The cutlery trays were dirty.

Parade Caf�, South Parade, Weston:

* The meat slicer was dirty.

* The walls and pipes were dirty and greasy.

* There was a build up of grease where a filter was missing, causing a fire hazard.

* There were no hygienic hand drying facilities.

* There was mildew on the preparation and storage rooms’ ceilings.

McColl’s, Locking Road, Weston:

* High-risk foods were being stored at the wrong temperature.

* Two staples were found inside the bake off freezer.

* Work surfaces were dirty.

The Beach Bistro, Regent Street, Weston:

* Food was being stored at the wrong temperature and had to be thrown away.

* Flies were in the kitchen.

Beach Caf�, Regent Street, Weston:

* Some equipment was dirty.

* An insect killer with insects in it was located above work surfaces.

Prince of Orange, High Street, Yatton:

* Food was being stored at the wrong temperatures.

* The wash hand basin was dirty.

Miltons Hotel and Restaurant, Stock Lane, Langford:

* Flaking paint was on wall above food preparation area.

* There was a poor standard of cleaning in the kitchen.

Blueberries Take Away, West Street, Weston:

* The toilet and wash hand basin were in a poor condition.

* There was poor cleaning in some areas.