Two Costa Coffee stores at Merry Hill given one out of five hygiene ratings with alleged rodent issue at shopping centre
Two Costa Coffees in the Merry Hill shopping centre have been handed one out of five hygiene ratings.
The two separate Costa Coffee kiosks in the shopping centre in Brierley Hill, were handed the ratings following inspections by the Food Standards Agency, but the company say it is due to a rodent issue within the shopping centre, although no rodent was found at either of the Costa stores during the hygiene inspections.
A spokesperson for Costa Coffee said in reaction to the news: "Costa Coffee takes all EHO (Environmental Health Officer) ratings extremely seriously and were disappointed and concerned to learn about the recent ratings given to the two Costa Coffees in Merry Hill, Dudley.
"The ratings reflect an ongoing rodent issue within the shopping centre.
"No active rodent activity was found in either Costa Coffee. We are working with the shopping centre to help resolve the issue and are confident, on reinspection, the store will be rating highly once again."
Hygiene inspections focus on three areas, and these are 'hygienic food handling', 'cleanliness and condition of facilities and building', and 'management of food safety'.
The two stores are:
Costa Coffee, kiosk 29 (lower mall), Merry Hill centre, Brierley Hill
According to the Food Standards Agency website, the store was found to be generally satisfactory in the hygienic food handling category, improvement necessary for cleanliness and condition of facilities and building, and major improvement necessary was given to the category of management of food safety.
Costa Coffee, kiosk 27, Merry Hill Centre, Brierley Hill
According to the Food Standards Agency website, the store was found to be generally satisfactory in the hygienic food handling category, improvement necessary for cleanliness and condition of facilities and building, and major improvement necessary was given to the category of management of food safety.
Takeaways, pubs, restaurants and any other retailers that sell food are inspected on their hygiene standards. These inspections include assessing handling food, cleanliness of the business and food safety management. It is not a guide to food quality.
A spokesperson for Merry Hill said: “We work closely and actively with our retailer community and Dudley Environmental Health to ensure the centre and the retailers within it maintain the highest possible standards of safety and hygiene for our visitors.”
A FOI request has been made to Dudley council for the full hygiene reports.
