How clean is your takeaway? Bolton eateries with zero rating revealed

The majority of the borough’s 451 takeaways, sandwich shops and mobile caterers received a rating of four or five, with 144 achieving the highest possible rating.

This means that these food outlets were found to have “good” or “very good” hygiene standards.

Almost a fifth achieved a rating of three, meaning that hygiene standards were “generally satisfactory” and a total of 47 businesses were told to make some improvements, receiving a rating of two.

But eight percent were rated one which means “major improvement” are necessary and five others were given the lowest rating of zero, requiring urgent improvement, including Grill 2 Thrill, which was told ‘urgent’ or ‘major’ improvement was required to all three areas; food handling, cleanliness and condition, and management of food safety.

The number of zero rated takeaways has actually fallen from eight last September and hygiene bosses stress it is a tiny minority of establishments.

Two of the takeaways on the list, Chop Suey Bar, in Farnworth and Nabzy’s, in Chorley Old Road were on the list in September and are still on the list despite being reinspected in the months since.

Nabzy’s received its first zero rating in June 2018.

Speaking to The Bolton News in September 2018, owner Mohammad Shakeel said that the necessary changes had been made since the June inspection.

He said: “The last owner employed cleaners who didn’t do enough. We are a family business that are doing everything now.”

Despite this, another inspection in December 2018 saw the takeaway given a zero rating once again, with inspectors saying urgent improvement was necessary in terms of management of food safety.

General manager, Ayan Shakeel said: “I am still waiting for the council to revisit my premises.

“Whatever the council has told us, we have addressed that.”

For Chop Suey Bar, it is their fourth zero in a row.

During their most recent inspection in February, they were told major improvement was necessary to the food handling process and the management of food safety.

The Bolton News contacted Chop Suey Bar but they declined to provide a comment and hung up the phone.

Badman’s, in Kearsley and Gandom Bakery, in Derby Street complete the list of zero-rated takeaways.

Inspectors informed Badman’s that major improvement was needed to the cleanliness and condition of the building, as well as management of food safety.

Gandom Bakery was last checked in June 2018 and were told to majorly improve food safety management and food handling measures.

READ MORE: Bolton takeaways, sandwich shops and mobile caterers with a one hygiene rating

A spokesman for the establishment said: “Everything’s changed since they last checked and we’ve asked for them to come and check it again.”

Of the 451 takeaways, sandwich shops and mobile caterers, 41 are awaiting inspection and 20 have a new rating pending.

READ MORE: 47 takeaways, sandwich shops and mobile caterers in Bolton have a two hygiene rating

A spokesman for Bolton Council said: “The Food Hygiene Rating Scheme aims to help people make a more informed decision when they are buying food. The ratings are based on criteria including food handling practices, physical condition and cleanliness of the premises and facilities, and food safety management.

READ MORE: 84 takeaways, sandwich shops and mobile caterers in Bolton have a three food hygiene rating

“These ratings show that the majority of takeaways have scored three or above, and more than half have achieved the higher four or five star rating.

“When businesses receive low scores and are struggling we work closely with them and advise them on how to achieve higher ratings in their next inspections

The data used came from the Food Standards Agency website on March 26.