1-STAR RATING FOR FRESHWATER’S VINE INN AFTER LATEST HYGIENE INSPECTION

Freshwater’s The Vine Inn has been slapped with a 1-star food hygiene rating, with inspectors finding inadequate cleaning and contamination risks.  The Isle of Wight Council’s Environmental Health team visited the School Green Road pub on 26th April, finding a number of substandard conditions which have thrown the establishment into a ‘Major Improvement Necessary’ rating. During the visit, inspectors discovered that prepped salad items were being stored next to a sink full of dirty water, with staff also scrapping leftovers into a bin immediately adjacent to the area. They also found that the sink was being used to wash both dirty utensils and equipment, as well as washing raw vegetables. The dishwasher was not in use, meaning the single sink was also being used to wash pots. The small raw meat preparation work surface was being used to store herbs, spices and teabags, whilst an outbuilding where dry foods are stored was found to be in a ‘very poor’ state of cleanliness. Freezers in the area were dirty and contained excess ice. Inspectors also noted that the food temperature probe was not being sanitised before/after each measurement and that there was inadequate disinfection of equipment between being used for raw and ready-to-eat food. A container with 2 different types of cheddar was labelled as ‘sliced 24th April, use by 17th May’ – despite the manufacturer stating it should be used within 5 days of opening. Bacon that had been decanted into a container should have been used within 3 days, according to the manufacturer, but was labelled as being opened on 24th April and ‘use by’ 9th May. According to the official inspector’s report, the paperwork was also not up to scratch. Whilst there were some daily monitoring records, there were no documented procedures to demonstrate that staff had considered each step of the food operation. It was also found there was no comprehensive system regarding the shelf life of high-risk foods, with such foods given long shelf lives in excess of the recommended 2-3 days. Inspectors concluded that staff needed refresher training in food hygiene. Food Hygiene Rating – Scores on the doors Compliance with food hygiene and safety procedures – 15 Compliance with structural requirements – 15 Confidence in management/control procedures – 20 Total score: 50 (1 rating)