Environmental Health inspectors have handed Busy Bee Garden Centre’s Olive Tree Restaurant a shock 1-star food hygiene rating, but the owners have called into question whether the issues raised warranted such a massive downgrade.
The popular restaurant was last visited in 2018 and was awarded an outstanding ‘5’, but in the 6 years since that inspection, the standards have seemingly dropped resulting in a score of just 1 – ‘major improvement necessary’.
The Isle of Wight Council’s inspectors visited on 16th October and quickly discovered that the restaurant did not have a suitable food safety system in place, thus failing to identify relevant hazards and any associated checks of procedures that are needed to make certain the food they produce is safe. This is despite being directed to the Safer Food Better Business pack on 2 occasions in July 2022.
Inspectors noted that daily checks nor the 4-weekly reviews had been completed for a whole month prior.
One major area of concern identified was the storage of wrapped raw turkey next to boxes of cakes in the freezer, a practice inspectors said could lead to contamination of ready-to-eat foods with food poisoning bacteria. Inspectors also found food – in boxes – being stored on the floor of the walk in freezer and chiller, also presenting a risk of contamination.
Cleanliness was also identified as an issue with extraction filters dirty and fridge seals not only dirty, but mouldy too. Tea towels and cleaning clothes were found to be washed at just 60c, below the acceptable temperature of at least 82c.
Defective floors which were damaged and split, as well as split seals on a number of fridges and freezers, could hinder effective cleaning, said inspectors.
A spokesperson for Busy Bee Garden Centre has told Island Echo:
“The owners and staff are devastated by this rating as so much care and attention goes into every meal that is served, and it needs to be well noted that there are no findings of fault in this area.
“Yes, there were gaps in the vinyl flooring, the washing machine was only running at 60 degree, unopen boxes had been left on the floor of the deep freeze, the seals on some of the fridges were cracked and regular records of inspection were deficient. But does this warrant such a massive downgrade and the stigma attach to such?
“All of these points have been addressed and we will be applying for another inspection.
“Meanwhile, customers may rest assured the quality of our food remains the same, and they may freely inspect our kitchen by request”.
Food Hygiene Rating – Scores on the Doors
Compliance with food hygiene and safety procedures – 5
Compliance with structural requirements – 10
Confidence in management/control procedures – 20
I used to really like it in there, but it’s got so expensive and the portions have halved.
I am shocked reading this article I have always found
Busy Bee’s to be one of the best, if not the best restaurant
on the island.
Why do environmental Health Inspectors leave it so long
to carry out checks, 6 years is appalling, how many other
businesses on the island have been left so long!,
(can’t keeping blaming the pandemic)
These checks should be carried out on an annual basis,
bit like vehicle MOTs.
The staff who work at Busy Bee are responsible, the owners
pay their wages and expect better from their staff.
From what I have seen when I visit Busy Bee garden centre
I am still happy to eat and drink at this great garden centre.
If they have been rated only a 1, there must be a lot of
businesses out there -1
Well not the best come on…
“But does this warrant such a massive downgrade and the stigma attach to such?”
Uh, yeah it does! If you and your staff were following basic cleaning, food handling regulations and procedures along with maintaining the place where food is to be safely prepared, cooked and served, then this article wouldn’t be here would it?
People deserve to know of the conditions that the food that they’ve paid for and are subsequently consuming is being prepared in.
Stop behaving like your the victim here. You were the ones who messed up not us!
I am still alive….. use it regularly.
Me too. Still better quality and value than most
other eateries.
I would like to see all the other scores of other businesses.
If the LAZY Environmental Health Inspectors did not
visit Busy Bees for 6 years, how many other places have they
not visited for years!!
I will still visit Busy Bees on a regular basis.
I have faith that the owner will now make sure that some of
his sloppy staff get their finger out, and this
won’t happen again.
Is that a reflection on your standards of food hygiene I am still alive?
I would hate to eat in your kitchen
Sounds like the catering manager needs a kick up the butt,also I notice a lot of places I go a lot off the young workers are glued to there mobiles when they could be cleaning ect
Very true.
I can name a few places where all you see are
young workers outside their work places on their
phones smoking and vaping.
Premier Inn Sandown is a fine example.
I wonder what their score is, have the Environmental
Health Inspectors been there, also the Fish and Chip
shop along Shanklin Esplanade and the front of the
Pier Cafe at Sandown. I could mention more.
When the minimum wage goes up and employers
have to pay more N.I they might streamline their
workforce, many of the employees are not needed,
if they were they would be working not shirking,
This doesn’t shock me at all. Busy bee are payers of the lowest wages they can get away with. What do you get? Not the best or reliable or best trained. You certainly can’t blame the staff. The heads that should roll is the manager and possibly the owners. People like this don’t want to offer a service they just want to make fantastic profits. Having been in catering I understand what’s required, this lot presumably don’t or don’t care. Last year I had the worst fish and chips ive ever experienced and got my money back and vowed never to darken their door again.
To be honest, having wrapped turkey on a fridge shelf alongside cakes in boxes, doesn’t sound like it warrants a 1 Star rating. Yes, there’s possibly rules or guidelines about it, but both items were wrapped and/or boxed. And, isn’t this what the vast majority of us would do at home, store stuff on the same shelf in a fridge? Nobody I know has died from that.
Split seals on a fridge or freezer? Same again really. I don’t think anyone is going to die from that either, so again, why a 1 star rating?
Dirty extraction filter? Again, yes it could/should be cleaned or replaced but even taking all these things together giving it 1 Star rating seems extremely unfair.
Nothing mentioned here would put me off if I was thinking of eating there because I know there’s far, far worse places out there. For instance, the vast majority of take-away places (major chains excluded) look seedy and dirty when you walk in to collect your food compared with places like Busy Bees.
I’d view this with the same scepticism that I use when seeing OFSTED reports on some schools these days. It depends very much on the individual inspector and, literally, how they feel on the day.
All-in-all, this sounds like a case of where a friendly warning or a bit of advice would have been more appropriate rather than a 1 Star which makes it sounds like it should be closed down, which obviously isn’t the case.
No you’re right no-one has died but they could become very ill or is that OK. If you offer a service at these prices then the hygiene should reflect that. Just because other places are probably worse that does not excuse what buy bee think they can get away with. When I was cheffing my guvnor always impressed on me the importance of cleanliness.
Maybe the Environmental health Inspector
was upset because he or she wasn’t offered a Freebie.
I agree with you, from what I have seen, Busy Bee
is one of the cleanest places on the island.
There are loads of filth holes that have probably
never been inspected.
Wouldn’t fancy eating in your house
Half price pizza with a portion of dirty fries should get them flocking in.
Busy Bee still serves up the best breakfast on the
Island.
Have not spent In the cafe for absolutely ages prices have sky rocketed not just in the cafe but everything in there and like someone else said much less portion size to This is now more reason not to participate in their cafe.
there are better value places about with good hygiene ratings
It should be closed until brought up to standard disgusting
From the report not a lot needs to be done to
be brought up to scratch.
Then going forward a rota needs putting in
place to make sure everyday checks etc are carried
out.
One of my favourite cafe / restaurants on the island,
lovely and airy, the largest eaterie on the Island.
I have read worst reviews and they have scored similar
scores.
A 3 would have been much fairer, where they got
a 1 from I have no idea.
I have faith measures will immediately be put in
place, from what I see on a regular basis the
Cafe is packed and must be the Garden Centres
biggest money maker.
Love their pizzas, but food waste left on the floor under the table next to us during our whole stay. It’s not rocket science to achieve 5 stars. Just routines and discipline.