Dead flies, overflowing waste and a lack of food safety knowledge has led to Newport’s The Noodle Pot being slapped with a 1-star food hygiene rating by Environmental Health inspectors.
An inspection carried out at the end of July has led to the St James’ Street takeaway receiving a ‘major improvement necessary’ rating, which was on the verge of being a 0 – the worst possible score.
According to the official report, inspectors found that there was a large number of flying insects in both the downstairs cooking area and upstairs kitchen, including around food and equipment. Installed electric fly killers were also found to be heavily loaded with insect remains and a hanging fly strip was also fully covered.
Furthermore, the general standard of cleaning was found to require improvement, especially around the fridge and freezer handles, food containers, the rim of the chest freezer and the top of the redundant drinks fridge which was heavily covered in dirt and insect remains that had fallen out of the fly killer.
Inspectors also found that old sauce bottles and containers were being reused to store sauces made on the premises, and an opened bottle of BBQ sauce was stored on a shelf, not in a fridge.
An accumulation of waste on the upstairs landing outside the kitchen was identified as being an issue, with a loose open bin bag overflowing and attracting flies. Other areas were found to be extremely cluttered with cardboard boxes and food containers, which left undisturbed might harbour pests – according to the hygiene report.
It was also found that the chest freezer in the upstairs kitchen was in a very poor condition; the internal rim was badly split and corroded, as was the outside top surface of the lid which meant it could no longer be kept clean. The base of the fridge was also found to be corroded.
It’s not just cleanliness that has contributed to the 1-star rating. On the day of the inspection, it was felt that the member of staff on duty lacked the appropriate level of knowledge of food hygiene and food safety. Inspectors were told by the staff member that rice was left to cool down for ‘about 5 hours’, something the management later corrected and said was in fact 90 minutes.
No cold running water in the upstairs kitchen hand wash basin, with the hot running at a high temperature, was another issue found by the Isle of Wight Council’s inspection team. It’s said that the situation could discourage staff from washing their hands thoroughly.
Another consideration of inspectors was the discovery that the disinfectant spray being used on work surfaces and equipment downstairs was not suitable – something raised at a previous inspection.
Food Hygiene – 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
Island Echo has attempted to reach out to The Noodle Pot, but no response has been obtained.
Sounds as if it’s all gone to pot!
Should be closed down
Joins Blackwater Mill Care Home with a One Star Rating.
Main difference is customers can choose not to go to the Noodle Pot but care home residents are a captive audience.
This type of deliberate lack of care which puts the public at real and serious risk of harm should be dealt with by closing down the business and banning the owners/operators from carrying out a any food business for life.
Let’s hope it goes bust now
Vote with your wallet and feet …..
No excuse for poor hygiene / no hygiene ….
Shut it down !!!
Same ownership as Bengal Palace in Newport .
Another shoddy establishment not to visit.
Same guy works at Bombay Palace so be careful there too! I’ve been to Noodle Pot and the woks aren’t cleaned between uses, my particular order was contaminated with ingredients I’d specifically asked not to be put in. This rating just confirms my suspicions that it’s not a clean place.
Same standard as the pot noodles you buy in the shops.
That is both wrong and libellous.
A slap on the wrist is no deterrent. Loads of unsuspecting holiday makers will wander in there and have high risk of food poisoning, and a ruined holiday. These places should be legally obliged to display their scores (they are in Northern Ireland) and fined if they score below 3. Fine them £10k if they score zero and they would soon be out of business or buck their ideas up.
Totally agree , why spend public money on inspections and then give the catering establishments the option of NOT displaying the ratings sticker – it is a joke , so many laws are full of loopholes or not enforced.
Shut down all zero rated places , and fine 1-3 scoring places.