Anger as food hygiene rating for Lambourn takeaway showed out-of-date score

THE hygiene score for a village takeaway has been updated online following queries from the Newbury Weekly News and sister website newburytoday.

Until last week, customers checking the online hygiene rating for The Rice Bowl on Lambourn High Street would have been informed it had scored 'one' out of five, meaning 'major improvement is necessary' according to the West Berkshire Food Standards Agency rating system.

In fact, the NWN has learned, the rating should have been 'five,' representing 'very good' hygiene.

The upgrade came following an inspection last November.

But this was not reflected online.

The shop owner has complained bitterly about the situation.

And it is not the first time.

In 2020, the NWN reported how the shop had scored zero, meaning 'urgent improvement is required'.

But in fact the takeaway had scored five on a subsequent inspection, although this was not immediately reflected online.

After being challenged about the latest rating for The Rice Bowl, which still showed an online score of 'one' until last week, a spokeswoman for West Berkshire Council's Public Protection Partnership team, which delivers environmental health services, issued the following statement: "The Rice Bowl in Lambourn had a rescore inspection visit in November 2022 by officers from the Public Protection Partnership.

"We were very pleased to be able to award them an excellent 'five' score rating and they were issued with a new 'five' score display notice for display at their premise.

"The 'five' score rating now shows on the Food Standards Agency FHRS (Food Hygiene Rating Scheme) site."