Ardleigh Takeaway given five-star rating after major improvement

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) visited Ardleigh Takeaway in December when an inspector filed a damning report criticising ineffectual food safety and paperwork which was in disarray.

The Gazette has now seen a copy of the report courtesy of a Freedom of Information request submitted to Colchester Council.

The eight-page document outlined failings in food safety management with high-risk foods stored at room temperature and broken fridge seals.

Improvement – Ardleigh Takeaway has gone from a one-star to a five-star rating (Image: Google Street View)

In the opening section of the report, the inspector noted how a food safety caterer’s pack had not been filled in for six months, and that “there was some difficulty locating the paperwork, which was found in a state of disarray”.

Food products were found in ice cream tubs without any form of labelling, and that parts of the premises were “greasy and dirty”.

The FSA inspector also drew attention to the storage of raw foods at room temperature and a failure to use different coloured chopping boards for raw and cooked foods.

An immediate improvement was ordered for staff’s kitchen clothing, which was described as dirty.

A section of the report read: “You must ensure that all persons working in food handling areas wear suitable, clean, and appropriate protective clothing.”

A thorough deep clean was ordered by the FSA inspector to avoid the takeaway from attracting vermin.

The inspector wrote: “At the time of inspection, the kitchen cleanliness was extremely poor.

“There is no effective food safety management system in place.

“At the time of the inspection there was evidence of rat runs through the yard area, behind the shed under the shed and at the rear of the fence.

Warned – an FSA inspection warned about poor cleanliness at the Chinese takeaway (Image: Pexels)

“A thorough deep clean is required.”

Recommendations made involved cleaning an insect killer in the kitchen which was “full of dead insects” and setting up a contract with a reputable pest control company.

Following a re-inspection of the premises last month, the FSA awarded Ardleigh Takeaway, in Colchester Road, Ardleigh, a new rating of five stars.

Ardleigh Takeaway decline to comment on the new rating.