A Darlington takeaway has been hit with a one-star hygiene rating after an inspection last month.

Hot Plate, on 118 Victoria Road in the town, was visited by inspectors from the Food Standards Agency on April 25 this year - and was adjudged to be worthy of the one-star hygiene rating.

Within the inspection, 'hygienic food handling', which includes, hygienic handling of food including preparation, cooking, re-heating, cooling and storage, was ranked 'improvement necessary'.

In the 'cleanliness and condition of facilities and building', which includes, cleanliness and condition of facilities and building (including having appropriate layout, ventilation, hand washing facilities and pest control) to enable good food hygiene, it was also noted that  'improvement is necessary'.

Meanwhile, the 'management of food safety' category, including system or checks in place to ensure that food sold or served is safe to eat, evidence that staff know about food safety, and the food safety officer has confidence that standards will be maintained in future, was ranked 'major improvement necessary'.

The Food Hygiene ratings show that several businesses have been told to improve at the start of 2024.

The ratings, which are based on hygiene and safety, structural compliance and confidence in management are routinely updated.

Across the UK, every food outlet including convenience stores, restaurants, hospitals and care homes are given a hygiene rating.

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What each hygiene rating means

  • 0 - Urgent Improvement Necessary
  • 1 - Major Improvement Necessary
  • 2 - Some Improvement Necessary
  • 3 - Hygiene Standards Generally Satisfactory
  • 4 - Hygiene Standards Good
  • 5 - Hygiene Standards Very Good

All ratings are as listed by the FSA on its website at the time of creating this list on May 28.

The Northern Echo has contacted Hot Plate for a comment.