Nineteen Walsall shops and restaurants get food hygiene warning
Nineteen Walsall businesses have received a zero rating – the lowest score possible – for their hygiene in the past 12 months.
Health inspectors took action by temporarily closing Little Bengal, in Blackwood Road, Streetly, and Pizza Nizza, in Walsall town centre, earlier this year after mouse droppings were found.
Aunt Sally's, just yards from Pizza Nizza in Bridge Street, was also given the lowest rating. Supermarkets in the borough which were given the lowest scores included Beer Bank in Darlaston and A&S Supermarket in Palfrey.
Others included Slices takeaway in Bloxwich High Street, Spice Vila takeaway in Pheasey, Woodhouse Chinese Takeaway in Walsall Wood and Dixy Chicken in the Bradford Street, Walsall town centre. Also falling short were JTF Wholesale at Bescot Retail Park and Amaanz 1 Stop Mini Mart, in Lewis Street, Birchills.
The Big Munch in Brownhills and Billy Bunter's Bakehouse, in the Park Street Arcade, were also given the zero rating.
Meanwhile, more than 100 food businesses across the borough have been given a rating of 'one' by health inspectors since August last year. The rating means 'major' improvement is necessary.
The shops included Family Choice in Blakenall which was inspected in February this year. Following a visit in October last year, it was temporarily closed by health officers after they found a mouse infestation.
It was found to be infested with more than 60 mice on the floors, shelves and in packaged foods.
Bangla Stores in Palfrey, was also forced to temporarily close after mice droppings were discovered at the premises in June.
An inspection was carried out following a complaint from the public.
The store in Milton Street achieved a rating of 'one' when it was inspected on June 8.
The data released by the Food Standards Agency shows the scores given to the premises the last time they were visited by inspectors and the scale ranges from zero to five. Their hygiene levels may have improved since these inspections.
David Elrington Environmental Health manager for Walsall said the borough had 1,551 businesses rated on the food hygiene rating scheme in 12 months and the majority of the 19 businesses which had received a 'zero' rating had been closed by the environmental health team who had handed out hygiene emergency prohibition orders.
He added: "Where food businesses present an imminent risk of injury to health we will close a business to protect the public.
