Pub pledges to improve hygiene rating after it is given one star by inspectors

A popular Boston family pub says it is working hard to improve its hygiene rating after it became one of just four food outlets in the district to have a rating of one star or less.
The Chain Bridge - picture Google ImagesThe Chain Bridge - picture Google Images
The Chain Bridge - picture Google Images

The owners of the Chain Bridge at Wyberton say the inspection by Boston Borough Council which led to the rating came at a difficult period in terms of staffing shortages.

And they say they are confident that the re-grading inspection they are waiting on at the moment to see them achieve 4 to 5 stars, with new members of the management team now in place.

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Council environmental health officers visit and grade all restaurants, takeaways and food shops throughout the district and give them a score of zero through to five.

The ratings and a summary of the inspectors’ findings are then published on the Food Standards Agency website.

The Chain Bridge was visited by inspectors on July 11 and was given the one star rating and told major improvements were needed in management of food safety and the cleanliness of facilities.

However, the inspector reported that hygienic food handling was considered ‘generally satisfactory’.

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In a statement to the Standard, the pub’s owners said they had issues with kitchen and management staffing shortages at the time they were inspected, but they had now been resolved.

It said: “Due to a significant number of staffing shortages, both in the kitchen and with regards to management, a few issues did arise – confidence in management was the largest point loss in the environmental health officer’s rating.

“New chefs and procedures have been brought into the kitchen and a new general manager and assistant manager have been hired front of house to help improve things within the site.

“Environment health have been over to the site to liaise with the new managers and are happy with the improvements that have been made.

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“The original rating was given over a month ago and the site is currently awaiting a re-grading where the team expect to achieve 4 to 5 stars.”

There are 563 establishments listed on Food Standards Agency league table for Boston Borough Council’s area, 433 of which have five star ratings, 44 have four stars, 19 have three, one has two, three have one, and one has zero.

The website states that one star signifies major improvement is necessary and zero means urgent improvement is required.