BUSINESSES in Cheltenham have been ordered to improve after flunking food hygiene and record-keeping tests.
Food Standards Agency inspectors told owners of nine establishments in the town they had scored a lowly one or two out of five in the past six months.
Failings include grimy fridges, keeping cooked food next to raw food and sloppy bookkeeping with regard to monitoring issues like safety procedures and temperature control.
Many of the low-scoring businesses have now improved their ratings.
Staff said they were anxious to improve due to the potentially disastrous impact on trade.
At Butlers Restaurant in the High Street, inspectors gave the premises a one after looking around in February.
Following a new inspection, it has since been amended to a four.
Owner Amer Awen said: "There were one or two things they weren't happy about including paint coming off the walls and some problems with the dishwasher.
"But we took their comments very seriously. It's no joke for a business like ours to be given a low rating."
Meanwhile, at Kings Tandoori and Balti Cuisine, in London Road, staff said they were given a one for not keeping the fridge clean and for storing raw food and cooked food in the same place in their January inspection.
"We are working hard on improving things," said manager Saddique Alawor. "We always put our customers first and cleanliness in the kitchen is one of our top priorities."
Staff at Central Stores in St Paul's Road were disappointed to score one last October due to an absence of proper bookkeeping.
Alkarim Karim, who runs the shop, said: "It was a reminder more than anything. There was certainly no problem with cleanliness.
"We had another inspection two weeks later and were given a four."
The same administrative issue was a problem for Charlton Kings Coffee and Deli, in London Road, and The Ruby Cantonese restaurant, in Suffolk Road, which have both been upgraded to four after originally being slapped with a one.
"It was an issue with the paperwork," said Ruby Cantonese manager Ming Sum.
"People come here to eat the food not the paper. There was nothing wrong with the kitchen apart from that."
Watts Butchers, in Suffolk Parade, was given a one last month.
It has since been re-inspected and handed a three.
Hawthorns Rest Home, in Christ Church Road, and Akkshy News, in St Paul's Road, were handed a one and two respectively.
Staff at both venues declined to comment yesterday.
The Merlot Brasserie, in Ormond Terrace, was also handed a two last October. It has since closed.
Environmental health chiefs at the borough council said the new ratings system was a positive thing aimed at driving up standards.
Sarah Clark, public and environmental health team leader, said public confidence in the food industry needed to be maintained.
She said: "We welcome the ratings system as a way of keeping standards up in the food industry and because it allows consumers to make informed choices about where they buy food.
"We produce the ratings for the businesses based on their compliance with the food hygiene legislation in their last assessment.
"If a business isn't compliant and has a lessthan satisfactory rating we will revisit and work with them to resolve the issues."
OPINION, P8
