Popular Mansfield events venue 'totally surprised' by one-out-of-five food hygiene rating

Oakham Suite, on Nottingham Road, was given the low score, meaning major improvement is required, after assessment on June 26, the Food Standards Agency’s website shows.

However, the suite manager has admitted they were “totally surprised” by the result.

They said: “When we were visited, it was our off-season, so we were undertaking a series of improvements to the building during this quieter time, the kitchen being one of them.

“We were also between chefs, our previous one having already left but our new one was still to start.

“During the visit we were advised that our rating would be a four, so we were totally surprised that it was a one.

“However, with the improvements made we are now in the process of rebooking another visit, during which I’m confident that we’ll be reinstated to being five.”

Following inspection, each business is awarded a hygiene rating from zero through to five, which means standards are “very good”.

Businesses given low ratings must make urgent or major improvements to hygiene standards and local authority food safety officers have several enforcement options available, as well as giving advice and guidance to make sure these improvements are made.

For Oakham Suite, hygienic food handling – “handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage” – was marked as needing urgent improvement.

However, management of food safety – “system or checks in place to ensure food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence standards will be maintained in future” and cleanliness and condition of facilities and building were both rated as generally satisfactory.

The venue, which has been hosting weddings and other private functions in Mansfield for 80 years, has now been given a number of actions to carry out to improve their standards when it comes to hygienic food handling.

The takeaway will now face further visits by inspectors over the coming weeks to assess whether the relevant changes have been made. It will then be awarded a new rating.