A STOCKTON Heath chippy that got a score of one on a hygiene rating last year has got even worse, with a new score of zero being given out.

Stockton Fryer was previously given a score of one out of five for having carrots stored on the floor, mouldy fridge parts, and flies among other issues.

In its newest inspection, carried out on January 31, Stockton Fryer was given an even worse score, of zero.

The Food Standards Agency is responsible for inspecting establishments and ensuring they are up to scratch with food hygiene regulations.

Following an inspection, eateries will often display their latest rating via a green sticker - usually in the window of the site.

These stickers are rated between zero and five, with five being perfect.

By scoring a zero, it states that urgent improvement to the chippy’s food hygiene standards is needed.

Following a freedom of information request by the Warrington Guardian, details of the Stockton Fryer’s last inspection were revealed.

Among the litany of issues reported were:

  • Dirty wiping cloths being used to clean down and mop up spillages
  • Carrots were being stored on the floor inside the walk-in chiller
  • It was noted that the wash hand basin was not in regular use
  • The fridge and freezer door seals were dirty/mouldy
  • The wash basins including the basin in the staff WC and the basin in the Chinese kitchen were dirty
  • The hand towel dispensers at both wash hand basins were dirty. In addition, the soap dispenser at the front wash hand basin was also dirty
  • The drain cover plate in the rear yard was clogged with dirt, grease and food debris
  • Flies were seen inside the premises at the time of the inspection
  • There was a build-up of dead insects inside the electric fly killer in the front servery
  • The standard of cleaning to the structure of both kitchens including the work surfaces was generally poor. A thorough deep clean is required.

The FSA inspects establishments against the following criteria:

  • Hygienic food handling - Hygienic handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage.
  • Management of food safety - System or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future.
  • Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building - Cleanliness and condition of facilities and building (including having appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control) to enable good food hygiene.

All information is taken from the Food Standards Agency and is accurate at the time of writing.